WINNIPEG — That distinct sound you hear off in the distance is opportunity knocking.
It’s important for the Winnipeg Jets to acknowledge what is potentially on the horizon, while not being swept away by what a second-round matchup with the Montreal Canadiens for North Division supremacy actually represents.
It’s a delicate balance, to be sure, though Jets captain Blake Wheeler wasn’t about to let his mind wander needlessly when asked what it was like to be back in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2018 — and just four wins away from a berth to the conference final.
“We’ve got a hockey game (Wednesday) finally, so just looking forward to that. You can’t get too far ahead of yourself because all of a sudden, you lose a game or two and the context of that question changes quite a bit,” said Wheeler. “I’m excited to still be playing. Obviously, the first round was very exciting and we made some good memories in that first round, but this is a whole new ball game, a whole different team, a whole different scenario.
“It’s going to be a grind. We’re looking forward to seven games of just slugging it out, you know what I mean? If we do a good enough job, maybe we’ll have an opportunity to move on.”
[snippet id=5039904]
This wasn’t a matter of Wheeler not feeling confident enough in his group to make some bold public declaration.
This is a guy who knows the importance of maintaining a singular focus and setting the proper tone for the Jets, especially with his team coming off an eight-day layoff after sweeping the Edmonton Oilers.
The Jets should feel good about how they played in the opening round, but one of the biggest lessons the core group learned during the 2018 run to the Western Conference Final revolves around how tough the victories are to come by at this stage of the season.
During that run, the Jets knocked off the Presidents’ Trophy winners with a road win in Game 7, but an inability to close the Nashville Predators out in Game 6 on home ice brought with it an emotional and physical toll that was on display while dropping the final four games to the Vegas Golden Knights after claiming Game 1.
No, this won’t come down to a breakaway contest between the two masked men, as Jets head coach Paul Maurice suggested Tuesday afternoon.
But there’s a very good reason that one of the most pressing storylines going into this series surrounds Connor Hellebuyck and Carey Price.
Hellebuyck was the best goalie in the playoffs in the opening round, backstopping the Jets to four consecutive victories while posting a league-best .950 save percentage and 1.60 goals-against average.
This wasn’t just about what the raw numbers suggest either. There is a palpable confidence level Hellebuyck instills in his teammates when he gets locked in like he did against the Oilers.
Price, meanwhile, lifted the Canadiens back from a 3-1 series deficit and was almost unbeatable in the Game 7 elimination game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“Two of the best in the game. Carey Price is probably the top goalie of my generation,” said Wheeler. “He’s shown the ability to steal big games, steal big moments, (he) had a big part in their last series, too. Nothing but respect what he’s done. Obviously we think very highly of (Hellebuyck) and the accomplishments he’s had in the couple years in the league. So the overriding theme is that we’ve just got to be patient, allow our goalie to do his thing and understand that we’re going in against a team that’s going to do the same thing against their goalie.
“We can’t get worked up if you get a scoring chance and he makes a big save. That’s what he tends to do and you can’t let that deter you from putting the puck at the net.”
Jets centre Nate Thompson has played for both teams and he smoothly sidestepped a query seeking a comparison of Hellebuyck and Price.
“Both really, really good. I don’t know if I want to compare,” said Thompson, who spent parts of two seasons with the Canadiens before he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers and faced Montreal in the first round of the playoffs last August. “They’re both elite goaltenders. Both have some Vezina hardware. With Price, I guess the only difference is that he’s been doing it a little bit longer. But it’s tough to compare. A couple of the best goaltenders in the world if you ask me.”
Hellebuyck has a history of finding ways to create a psychological edge and Tuesday, another one landed right in his lap as he was not announced among the Vezina Trophy finalists with Marc-Andre Fleury, Andre Vasilevskiy and Philipp Grubauer.
Whether or not Hellebuyck chooses to voice his opinion on what he probably feels is a snub is irrelevant.
He knows a portion of the hockey world will be focusing on Canadiens goalie Carey Price going into this series because of what he’s been able to accomplish on the international stage.
This isn’t a one-on-one situation in its truest form, but finding a way to outperform the guy standing in the opposite crease is a way to not only change a narrative but to seize control of it.
“What they’re both really great at is, seemingly, staying calm and handling what’s given to them. If they’re in a game where there’s an awful lot of side to side and some high-end chances, they get across and make those saves,” said Maurice. “But if it’s a patient game, I don’t think either one of them looks like they get out of control at any point. They’re completely focused on the game and in control. Carey Price’s numbers and longevity tell you everything you need to know about his play. So, two great goalies for sure. It’s the lead story, understandable, because both teams got here the same way and both will have a plan to try to find an edge.”
Patience is going to be the operative word in this series because that’s exactly what is required of the Jets in order to avoid making the type of puck-management mistakes that the Canadiens can force their opponent into and ultimately feast on.
“It’s extremely important,” said Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey. “Both teams in the playoffs generally play harder defensively and (play) a more committed defensive game. And when you turn pucks over in tough areas, it can hurt you and that’s really what you’re trying to avoid.”
“It’s really the same against Montreal as it was against Edmonton. They’re fast and they transition very well off of turnovers and they generate a fair amount of offence and chaos off of that. So we’re going to have to keep managing the puck here and building off of the game we were putting on display against Edmonton.”
When it comes to natural finishing ability, the Jets should hold an edge, especially with Nikolaj Ehlers and Pierre-Luc Dubois getting back to full health.
But the Canadiens got a critical defensive contribution from centre Phillip Danault in the opening round and he figures to see a heavy dose of Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor and Wheeler, much like he did in the opening round against Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and Zach Hyman.
“Just have respect for the fact that you’re playing against guys that that’s their job and they’re good at it and they’ve had success doing it and they’ve built confidence doing it,” said Wheeler. ”You can’t get frustrated by it, you can’t let that deter you from making the plays and putting the puck at the net. You’ve got to realize that we’ve been playing against that matchup for a lot of years. It’s nothing new for us.
“Pretty much every playoff series we’ve played in, minus the last one against Edmonton, we’re playing against the other team’s shutdown matchup, their shutdown defencemen, their shutdown forwards. So it’s something that we have experience with and it’s something that we can draw on that experience. Even if we’re getting shut out and they’re doing a great job against us, that’s when we rely on the depth of our team and I think that’s the strength of our team.”
[relatedlinks]