On Monday night, the Winnipeg Jets and Montreal Canadiens will square off as two Canadian clubs.
The Jets had a lot of things going their way going into the game. Despite losing forward Kyle Connor for a lengthy amount of time, they lead the Central Division and have defeated top-tier Western Conference clubs twice in a row: on Wednesday, they defeated Los Angeles 5-2, and on Saturday, they defeated the Avalanche 6-2.
“Good control, good forecheck,” is how Jets forward Alex Iafallo described his team’s recent success, which includes six wins in a row. “Playing the pucks and communicating well.” More enjoyable, I suppose. Just having fun and acting silly, knowing that you will succeed at it.”
The Winnipeg Jets have held their opponents to two goals or fewer for seven straight games thanks to the excellent play of goalie Connor Hellebuyck. With a save % of.943, Hellebuyck leads all goalies who have played in more than ten games this month. His goals-against average is second-best, at 1.70.
Coach Rick Bowness praised the team’s performance on Saturday. It has remained level. We simply keep playing the same, unaffected by the highs and lows. We desire that this go on.”
This season, the organization has shown glimmers of what it might become at moments. Throughout the first two periods of the team’s 5-3 victory over the Islanders on Saturday night, that was clearly visible.
After controlling the Isles for the first forty minutes and leading 4-0 while outshooting their rivals 36-16, the Habs relaxed and let New York score three times as tensions increased before an empty-net goal gave Montreal the victory.
