Leading up to Wednesday’s important Game 5 in their series against the St. Louis Blues, Winnipeg Jets head coach Scott Arniel wasn’t shy about detailing where his team needs to be better. He isolated three areas, pointing to goaltending, his star players and “our grinders; our meat and potato guys.”
Which brings us to an interesting starting point in Winnipeg, tied 2-2 with the Blues in the first-round series, possibly finding the win column again for the first time in three games, as this lunch-bucket group of Jets does require more from everyone.
Yes, Connor Hellebuyck is priority number one for a bounceback, although I would suggest the criticism he’s shouldering is a little harsh — unless you believe backdoor tallies and deflections off your defenceman’s rear-end should be routine stops.
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And, of course, unless your best players are your best players, winning in the Stanley Cup playoffs is next to impossible. So, without question, Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor and Josh Morrissey need to drive offensive play for Winnipeg to be successful.
But Arniel’s distinct mention of his club’s ham-and-egg guys isn’t discriminating, as through four games in the series and 10 goals in total, the forward group consisting of Nino Niederreiter, Mason Appleton, Vladislav Namestnikov, Morgan Barron and Adam Lowry has accounted for one goal, an empty netter at that, in the first game of the series.
And on the back end, the defensive corps has amassed just two primary assists, although Neal Pionk did score one of the team’s three total goals in St. Louis last weekend.
That kind of production isn’t enough to get the Jets past the finish line, or as Dylan DeMelo put it Tuesday, “a head start” to winning this now best-of-three series.
So, while the focal point this week has been goaltending and top-line production, the hard truth is everyone needs to be better, especially the meat-and-potato guys.
And if they can deliver a hearty helping of protein and carbs Wednesday night, it might also be the gravy on top to the Jets serving up a timely victory.
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