Jets need to lift game to next level

In this high-stakes game of chess between the Winnipeg Jets and Colorado Avalanche, the board hasn’t been heavily tilted one way or the other.

That’s why the two teams made their way to Denver with the series all square at one game apiece, with Game 3 scheduled for Friday night (9 p.m., CBC, CJOB).

Sure, in the quiet comfort of the coaches’ offices, Rick Bowness and Jared Bednar could make the case their club could hold a two-game edge but in those same conversations, they would be astute enough to know they could just as easily be down 2-0, were circumstances a little bit different.

That’s the beauty of the Stanley Cup playoffs, a singular moment could grow from a minor piece of minutiae into a turning point in a best-of-seven series.

The Jets won the opener in a topsy-turvy affair that featured multiple lead changes and included 13 goals, finishing with a 7-6 score that was as unexpected as it was exhilarating.

The Avalanche responded with a 5-2 triumph in Game 2 that included withstanding an early push, settling things down and pushing the pace while often dictating the terms of play.

Which team will impose its style of play on Game 3 to take a one-game edge in what is now a best-of-five, with the Avalanche stealing home-ice advantage?

“There are lots of little things both sides are going to look at and that’s just the fun chess match that playoffs is,” Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey said Wednesday before boarding the plane to Denver. “We’ve done a lot of good things in these first two games and we’re now in a five-game series. Our job is to be ready to go in and bring our best game that we’ve played yet in Game 3.”

That’s the thing.

Neither team feels it has truly played its best game yet, though that’s probably got more to do with the fact this is basically a coin-flip, pick ‘em series that features two clubs with contrasting in styles.

The Avalanche were the highest scoring team during the regular season and they’ve managed to score 11 goals so far, including one empty-netter, which would be an encouraging sign for them.

The Jets won the Jennings Trophy for allowing the fewest goals in 82 games, but they’ve been a little too loose at times through 120 minutes of play. On the flip side, scoring nine goals amplifies the depth throughout the lineup that was viewed as a potential differentiator.

Of those nine Jets goals, Morrissey is the only defenceman to score and one other marker came on the power play, with Kyle Connor ripping home a one-timer.

Of the remaining seven goals, Adam Lowry’s line has two (with the captain scoring both of them) and the fourth line has a pair (with Vladislav Namestnikov and David Gustafsson finding the back of the net) and the top line has three (two for Mark Scheifele and another at even strength for Connor).

The line of Sean Monahan, Nikolaj Ehlers and Tyler Toffoli have been held off the scoresheet entirely and that can’t continue.

“They’re going to have to rely on their trust in their teammates and their trust in themselves and hold everybody accountable. And trust in our team game. It’s carried us this far, and it’s going to have to carry us the next little while.”– Jets head coach Rick Bowness

Ehlers has been driving play throughout the course of the season, Monahan has been a consistent performer since his arrival and Toffoli, who had 33 goals during the regular season, is known for his clutch performances when the chips are down, but he’s been a bit too quiet on the offensive side of things.

This isn’t pointing the finger at the trio by any means, but they were clicking on all cylinders late in the regular season during the Jets eight-game winning streak and they’ll need to get back to that form.

“They’re going to have to put some points on the board. They are,” Bowness said succinctly on Wednesday. “That’s our second line, we expect them to generate some offence.”

Speaking of expectations, Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck clearly has another level to reach.

The expected winner of the Vezina Trophy has now allowed 10 goals, compared to nine for much-maligned Avalanche netminder Alexandar Georgiev.

Hellebuyck has enjoyed some shining moments in the series and made some critical saves, there’s no doubt about that, but he has the ability to elevate his game considerably and that’s what he’s going to need to do.

Defensively, the Jets have actually done a really good job against Hart Trophy front-runner Nathan MacKinnon, limiting him to a goal and an assist at even strength and another assist on the power play.

That’s what minimizing the damage looks like, though the next challenge includes trying to maintain that while Bednar gets the last change for the next two contests at Ball Arena, where the Avalanche had the best home record in the NHL this season (31-9-1)

Should Bednar be looking to get MacKinnon away from Lowry’s line on occasion, that means Scheifele’s trio must be on high alert — just like they’ve been during the head-to-head shifts that have occurred thus far.

“Yup. And then again, they have to be responsible. They all know the right way to play and they have be just a little more cautious with their puck management and the structure,” said Bowness. “And the D have to be fully aware of when to pinch and when not to pinch against those guys because they’re just so fast. We can be above them all we want, but they’re so quick laterally and then gone. You end up chasing them. So we’ll do the best we can, that’s all I know.”

Speaking of challenges, when playing at top speed, the Avalanche are a handful for any team to contend with.

The same applies to the Jets when they’re on their game.

“We did a better job (in Game 2) with the speed and skill and the pace they can play at, especially their top guys. That’s where the structure is very important, being on the same page,” said Morrissey. “Forwards, defencemen, goaltender — everybody. Not thinking, but just reacting. There’s something to be said, that we have a great team, too. We had a great regular season and we know we’ve played well in these first two games against a great team.

“We know we can be more aggressive as well and definitely not (be) sitting back and giving them too much respect. Certainly, you have to honour their top players and understand how dynamic they are, but at the same time, we have a great team, we need to continue to push that aggressiveness.”

As for the tension that comes with being even instead of holding a two-game cushion in the race to four victories, that’s part of the fun of playing at this time of the year.

“They’re going to have to rely on their trust in their teammates and their trust in themselves and hold everybody accountable,” said Bowness. “And trust in our team game. It’s carried us this far, and it’s going to have to carry us the next little while.”

It’s not like this is the first dose of adversity the Jets have faced this season.

“We weren’t going to go 16-0 in the playoffs, that’s just not how it works,” said Morrissey. “We’ve shown that we’ve handled adversity well all year. It comes throughout the season in many different ways. You follow us all of the time, you see the different things that we go through as a group.

“We’ve always risen to the occasion. We’ve got great leadership, a lot of veteran players and we’re a tight group. We’re ready to handle the ups and downs of the playoffs and it’s always said, but just turning the page and moving on to the next game is the biggest thing.”

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

X: @WiebesWorld