Jets' Dubois carrying beast mode momentum right into series vs. Golden Knights

LAS VEGAS – For the record, Pierre-Luc Dubois has more interest in creating new playoff memories rather than just reliving the old ones.

Of course, the Winnipeg Jets top-line centre understands why people want to talk about his past exploits as a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets, such as his breakout performance in the bubble – featuring a playoff hat trick (highlighted by the overtime winner) against the Toronto Maple Leafs – and also being part of the team that knocked off the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2019.

Those were moments to relish at the time and can certainly serve as experiences to draw from in this opening round series against the Vegas Golden Knights, Game 2 of which goes Thursday and can be seen on Sportsnet and SN NOW, starting at 9 p.m. CT / 10 p.m. ET. The Jets lead the series, 1-0.

On the flip side, Dubois’ first playoff as a member of the Jets in 2021 didn’t go quite as smoothly.

Although the Jets swept the Edmonton Oilers in the opening round of the North Division playoffs, they were swept by the Montreal Canadiens in the second round and Dubois — who never fully got into the groove after the blockbuster trade with the Blue Jackets — had a minimal impact on the outcome of either series.

Chipping in three assists in seven games wasn’t what Dubois envisioned when those playoffs began, and missing out on the post-season entirely last year only fueled his fire for the opportunity at hand.

“I’ve only missed the playoffs once in my career, and it was last year,” said Dubois. “You never fully appreciate it until you miss it. ... When I was in my first year here in Winnipeg, we had 250 people in the stands. It didn’t feel like your normal playoffs, your normal momentum swings with the crowd and everything.

“So, it’s been four years since I’ve played in front of (a full crowd). I feel like it’s my first time again. I’m excited.”

Part of that excitement relates to the fact that Dubois has shown over the years he can thrive under the spotlight and relishes the opportunity to go up against top-end competition.

Dubois made his mark in the series opener on Tuesday, setting up Kyle Connor for the opening goal and then beating Laurent Brossoit with a heavy wrister high to the blocker side, capping a quick-strike stretch of two goals on two shots in 62 seconds that propelled the Jets to a decisive 5-1 victory.

Aside from his offensive contributions, Dubois had three shots on goal and six shot attempts, won 62 per cent of his draws and was physically engaged throughout the game, finishing tied for the team lead in hits with Brenden Dillon, with eight.

But for Dubois, it’s not about deciding to crank his motor up to playoff beast mode either.

He prefers to play the role of the cerebral assassin on a nightly basis, not just when the stakes get higher.

“For me, personally, I’m excited because I’ve always thought that there’s no switch you can turn on and off,” said Dubois. “You do little things in the regular season that build towards when the playoffs start, it’s a habit that you’ve created. It’s not something you have to change.

“The game changes in the playoffs. It gets a little bit more defensive. It gets a little harder to get to the net-front. Calls are sometimes called a little bit differently and that’s just part of playoff hockey.”

As someone who has been known to play on the edge and occasionally venture over the line, is there a feeling-out process for a guy like Dubois when a series gets started for how certain games will be called?

“It’s not like I talk to the refs to know this, but there are some penalties that are just black and white, whether it’s the regular season or the playoffs,” said Dubois. “A trip or a hook, stuff like that. Then, there are some penalties that are a little different, and you do feel that out a bit. But the thing about the playoffs, there’s a line between wanting to feel it out and also wanting to get to them first.”

When you’re a player like Dubois who enjoys trying to get under the skin of an opponent, the psychological warfare element is part of the arsenal he brings to the ice.

Words will be exchanged (like they were in Game 1 with Phil Kessel and Brossoit, among others) and so will the occasional slash, cross-check, punch in the face, face wash and punishing hit.

There are other times when Dubois knows the right play will be to take a number and turn the other cheek.

It can be a fine line, but Dubois straddled it perfectly in the series opener, as the Jets' top line did an excellent job of both generating offence and burying a couple of scoring chances to drive the attack.

Dillon saw plenty of Dubois during their time in the Eastern Conference.

“A big-bodied guy who has a lot of skill and he can get under your skin,” said Dillon. “He plays against top-end players and he’s able to produce like that too. When you’re wanting to bash his head in, he’s able to put the puck in the net and piss you off even more.”

Fellow Jets blue-liner Dylan DeMelo was asked how much of a nuisance Dubois was to play against before they became teammates and he didn’t mince words.

“Pain in the ass is a good word, for sure,” said DeMelo. “He uses his body extremely well. He’s such a big guy, he moves so well. When he wants to dominate games, he’s very hard to control. It’s easier said than done, but he is such a force with that puck — using his body (to protect it) and he’s got a great shot too. (Tuesday) night was all of those elements kind of rolled into one.

“He was great in the D-zone, ending plays and being heavy. Having him being able to play those big minutes against top opposition and more often than not, come out on top, is a huge boost for our team.”

Dubois is the kind of player who leaves opposition D-men looking over their respective shoulders.

“When you played against him, you always knew you were in for a long night,” said DeMelo. “He’s such a hard guy to get pucks off, he protects it so well. He’s always in the mix and always near the net front, so he’s an absolute gamer and he’s a battler out there.

“He’s not shy to mix it up and finish his checks. It seems like there’s a scrum when he’s on the ice, he’s in the middle of it.”

No matter when Nikolaj Ehlers is cleared to return to action after missing the past two games with an upper-body injury he sustained on the unsuspecting hit from Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman in Game 81, the Jets top line with Mark Scheifele and Connor is going to need to keep playing at a high level in order for this group to earn the three more wins that would be required to move on to the second round.

No matter when Nikolaj Ehlers is cleared to return to action after missing the past two games with an upper-body injury he sustained on the unsuspecting hit from Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman in Game 81, the Jets top line with Mark Scheifele and Connor is going to need to keep playing at a high level in order for this group to earn the three more wins that would be required to move on to the second round.

“The fun thing about the playoffs is that you could play against the same guy and the same line seven games in a row,” said Dubois. “It’s that added motivation, that added little bonus at the end of a win, you feel like you did your job and you helped the team win.

“Whether you call it having a spotlight, a bigger stage, I just think it’s a little more fun because it’s a little more personal than a regular season game when you’re not going to see (that player again) for 28 games.”