New Season, Same Jets, Odd NHL Websites

First things first:  The NHL team websites are screwy.  I tried listening to the Jets/Senators game on the radio feed, but nothing would load.  I went to the Ottawa site and the first minute or so was a different Sens game.  Right now, I'm trying to listen to the Blue Jackets game, but the feed is a Columbus / Islanders game.  During and after the game, neither the Jets nor the Sens websites mention the opener, the score, or anything. 

But, if you go to the NHL site, you can see what happened in Winnipeg on the opening night.

 

NHL.com

Opening Night Winners in Winnipeg:

 

Senators: 4-1

 

 

Things started off so promising for the Jets, but this would be the Senators night.  Twice in the opening period, Jets banged shots off the pipes.  Once off the crossbar and one off the post.  Then, 30 seconds into the first powerplay of the season, Dustin Byfuglien scored the first Jets goal of the season. 

 

 

 

It kinda went downhill for the Winnipeg Club from there.  Milan Michalek tied the game late in the first period, Chris Neil put the Senators ahead to stay in the second, and reigning Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson, who also contributed two assists, and Kyle Turris finished off the Jets with third-period insurance goals.

 

The team worked off the crowd's enthusiasm in the first period, but couldn't hold onto that momenium as the game wore on.  A positive note for Jets fans, the team was well disciplined commiting only three penalties, one each period.  Unfortunately, they were only able to cash in on one powerplay in six opportunties and managed 28 shots on goal compared to Ottawa's 37. 

 



NHL.com

"Not a lot of flow out there, just a pretty bad game all around," Jets forward Blake Wheeler acknowledged. "You know, 4-1, I don’t know if that’s indicative of how the game went. But I don’t think we played with a whole lot of urgency the whole game. I think we hoped we think we were going to be a little bit sharper than we were."  

One problem the Jets had to overcome was the majority of their players have not been playing professional hockey during the lockout. 

Since I couldn't get the radio feed to work off the Jets website, I went to the Senators site where I eventually got the game.  And first-star-of-the-game to the Senators play-by-play man Dave Schreiber.  Very entertaining guy to listen to.

"Pass up from the blueline to Ladd. Winds up, looking for a opportunity, brings the stick down.  Drops the puck behind him for a pass to no one, Santa perhaps.  Santa would have had a chance at that one if he had remembered his sleigh.  Picked up in the neutral zone by the Jets and they back pedal, regroup and make their way towards the Senators goal again where Anderson and his friendly crossbar wait."

Wonderful stuff on the radio, not so good for the Jets on the ice.  But having NHL action back is certainly a good thing.

 

NHL.com

The Jets will face the Bruins on Monday, January 21 at 1:00.