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Greg Wyshynski, ESPN
NEW YORK — The Winnipeg Jets made NHL historical past with their 6-3 victory on the New York Rangers on Tuesday evening, turning into the primary crew to win 15 of its first 16 video games in a season.
“You play at MSG, you’ve got to put on a show,” stated heart Mark Scheifele, who scored two targets within the win. “It feels amazing. Obviously, it’s been a great start for us, but tonight’s over. Enjoy the win. And then back to work.”
The Jets’ begin has been nothing in need of outstanding. They turned the fourth crew since 1967-68 to steer the NHL in targets for and in opposition to per recreation by their first 15 video games. They’ve scored 5 or extra targets in half their video games. Their 73 targets this season are the third most by a crew in its first 16 video games over the previous 30 years.
With their win on the Rangers, the Jets moved to 7-0-0 on the street. The 36 targets they’ve scored away from Winnipeg are probably the most in NHL historical past for the 9 groups which have gained their first seven street video games.
“We had talked about banking points at the start of the season. We’ve got a very tough division. I don’t think I quite drew it up this way, but certainly the guys have earned every inch of it,” stated head coach Scott Arniel, who was promoted from affiliate coach within the offseason.
Kyle Connor scored twice, whereas Gabriel Vilardi and Vladislav Namestnikov added targets. Connor Hellebuyck made 33 saves for the Jets, a lot of them important stops in opposition to the Rangers to keep up his crew’s momentum. Hellebuyck is now 12-1-0 on the season and outdueled the Rangers’ Igor Shesterkin (5 targets on 32 pictures) in a battle of favorites to win the Vezina Trophy because the NHL’s prime goaltender.
Connor stated he felt that the Jets’ forecheck benefitted from the Rangers urgent offensively.
“I think they, for lack of better words, were cheating for offense in certain areas. They were going past our defensemen at times, and we were able to keep pucks in and make ’em pay,” he stated.
Rangers coach Peter Laviolette merely felt the Jets executed higher.
“I don’t think we were pressing. When you’re playing a team that’s firing offensively and the execution isn’t where it needs to be, it can turn around on you pretty quickly,” he stated.
Scheifele scored 57 seconds into the competition earlier than the Rangers’ Will Cuylle tied it at 13:07 of the primary. Vilardi put the guests forward on the facility play at 8:58 earlier than Alexis Lafreniere tied the sport once more at 12:51 of the second. Connor put the Jets forward for good at 16:03 of the second. Scheifele scored once more 1:08 into the third — his ninth of the season — earlier than Kaapo Kakko narrowed the deficit to 4-3 simply 32 seconds later. Namestnikov scored his fifth at 13:08, and Connor accomplished the scoring into an empty internet with 20 seconds to play.
“It’s coming from all areas of our team, top to bottom. Everybody’s involved in it, and that’s what makes it so dangerous, so lethal,” Connor stated of the Jets’ offense. “It’s not just a one-trick pony. If one line has an off night, we usually have two or three going.”
The Jets proceed on the street with video games on the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday and the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers on Saturday.
Connor stated the crew understands the historical past it is making however is not permitting it to be a distraction.
“Honestly, we know what we’re doing, but we don’t take too much stock in it. It’s move on to the next one. It’s ‘How can we improve, how can we be better?'” he stated. “I think that’s what made us successful to this point. Nobody’s satisfied. We won 15 here, but I just think that speaks to leadership not getting comfortable. Still a lot of season left.”
