Winnipeg Free Press https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/jets-blank-senators-5-0- 461736143.html?k=reVCLe

Flying higher and higher Jets make mincemeat out of Senators, match Lightning for NHL points lead

By: Mike McIntyre

They’re like sharks in the water these days. And when the smell blood, their killer instinct takes over.

Such was the case again Sunday night at Bell MTS Place, as the turned into easy prey thanks to several self-inflicted wounds. Winnipeg struck early and often, including three times on the power play, to cruise to a 5-0 victory that actually wasn’t nearly as close as the score indicates.

"Maybe one of the most dominating performances I’ve been part of in this league, to be honest. From the first minute, we took over the game," said forward Mathieu Perreault.

The new-look top line, which saw Perreault take the spot of injured Kyle Connor, led the way. Captain Blake Wheeler had a and three assists, Perreault scored and added two helpers, and Mark Scheifele had a goal and assist as the Jets improved to 17-6-4, including 9-0-1 in their past 10 home games. Winnipeg leads the Western Conference and is tied with Tampa Bay for most points in the NHL.

Connor Hellebuyck stopped all 21 shots he faced for his first shutout of the year. Winnipeg fired 49 shots, their most in any game this season and just one short of their single-game franchise record, on Ottawa’s net.

"It’s incredible the way we’re clicking right now and the confidence in this room. It’s fun to watch," said Hellebuyck, who improved his record to 15-2-3. "This is more of a team shutout. When the guys are playing as good as they are in front of me, it makes my life a lot easier. When one guy is feeling it, you can see it go through the locker room. That’s what we have in here now. Whenever somebody might fall off it, everyone else picks him up."

The struggling Senators, who came into the game with just one win in their past eight contests, didn’t help their cause A too many men on the ice gave the Jets an early power play, and they needed just 14 seconds to capitalize. Dustin Byfuglien made a nice play at the blue line to keep the puck in and fed Wheeler along the right wall, who fed a perfect cross-seam pass to a wide-open Scheifele. He beat Ottawa goalie Mike Condon for his team-leading 14th of the year just 2:20 into the game,

Ottawa came close to tying it as Winnipeg native Mark Stone hit the crossbar. But just seconds later, Perreault tipped home a Jacob Trouba point shot to make it 2-0 at the six-minute mark.

Winnipeg continued to swarm, holding Ottawa without a shot for more than 13 straight minutes in the opening frame. Bryan Little looked to have made it 3-0, but Condon gloved away a certain goal with one of the nicest saves of the season. The Jets outshot Ottawa 19-3 through 20 minutes.

Winnipeg didn’t sit on the lead, coming out strong to begin the middle frame. Scheifele somehow found Wheeler with a great pass from behind the Ottawa net, and the captain buried it to make it 3-0 just over three minutes into the period.

Then Ottawa imploded, taking away any chance they might have had for a comeback.

Dion Phaneuf took an undisciplined cross-checking penalty, and just 21 seconds later Ottawa’s bench was whistled for unsportsmanlike conduct for screaming at the officials. Winnipeg, given an extended five-on-three, scored twice in thirty seconds to put the game away.

First, Patrik Laine buried a shot from his usual spot on the left side of the slot. It was his 13th of the year, and his 49th career goal in what was his 100th career game.

Then Tyler Myers — skating in his 500th game — made it 5-0 when his blast from the point got through a crowd.

That chased Condon from the crease. He’d surrendered five goals on 22 shots, including three on the only three shots he faced in the second. Craig Anderson took over in net.

"We were pretty solid right through. I thought it was a real powerful, long start. There was a good 25 or 30 minutes there, and then the game changes. It’s not the same kind of game," coach Paul Maurice said of what he believes was one of their most complete efforts of the season.

"At 5-0 the bench is coaching itself, they’re talking to each other about what they want to get done. They really didn’t change much. They stayed on it," said Maurice. "It was a good win. We’ll absolutely leave this one here. That wasn’t Ottawa’s best game. I’ve watched them play now. They’re capable of some better hockey. So it was just a 60-minute, two pointer. We’ll forget this one as fast as we played it."

Winnipeg entered the game fourth in the NHL on the power play, and second-best at home. Giving them ample opportunities, as the Senators, is not an ideal plan for success.

"It’s huge. The power play is definitely something that’s been awesome for us," said Scheifele, who now sits in a tie for fifth-overall in NHL scoring, one point behind teammate Wheeler. "We just got to keep it going and continue to learn. There’s still things we can fix and still things we can work on. I think we need to keep that mentality to not be complacent. We need to continue to work on things and continue to get better because we know every team is doing that as well."

The Jets may want to lobby the NHL to play more Sunday evening games at home. Their only previous date this season saw them race out to an early 5-0 lead over Pittsburgh on Oct. 29 on their way to a 7-1 rout. Last night’s game followed a similar pattern.

Winnipeg now hits the road for a three-game trip starting Tuesday in Detroit. The Red Wings are licking their wounds following a 10-1 defeat on Saturday night against Montreal. The Jets then head to Florida for games against the Panthers and league-leading Lightning before returning home next Monday against Vancouver. https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/with-perreault-connors-absence-not-a- problem-for-jets-461751023.html

Perreault steps up after Connor goes down

By: Mike McIntyre

It’s an in-house fix most teams can only dream of.

Kyle Connor, a key part of the Winnipeg Jets top line who’s been red-hot of late, was unable to answer the bell on Sunday after suffering a lower-body injury while blocking a shot in the previous game.

For most squads, this might pose a bit of a problem.

But not these Jets, who simply moved veteran forward Mathieu Perreault off the so-called fourth-line and into Connor’s spot to play alongside Blake Wheeler and Mark Scheifele.

The trio combined for nine points in Sunday’s 5-0 laugher over Ottawa.

"What a luxury that is, to have that kind of depth. It’s a bummer to miss KC (Connor) — he has played so well and his confidence is so high. We grab a guy like Matty Perreault seemingly out of nowhere and not miss a beat," Wheeler said.

"He plays so hard. It seems like when he’s out there, no matter what line he’s on, there are so many loose pucks.

"What a blessing to be able to slot him in when you’re missing a guy."

Perreault has plenty of past experience with Wheeler and Scheifele, who now sit fourth and fifth overall, respectively, in NHL scoring.

"That was nice, to play with (Wheeler and Scheifele), two of the best players in the league right now. It’s fun. From the first minute to the last, we took control of that game. It was just an awesome game for us," Perreault said.

His spot on a line with Matt Hendricks and Joel Armia was filled by Shawn Matthias, who had been a healthy scratch for nine straight games. Connor is listed as day-to-day.

"It’s a little different, whoever you play with. But for me, my game doesn’t change a whole lot. I work as hard as I can. I try to finish checks, create loose pucks, and when I see an opportunity to make plays, I try to make them," Perreault said.

Scheifele said Perreault simply picked up where Connor left off, specifically making life miserable for opponents while tracking down pucks.

"I think that’s the sign of a team that has some depth. You have one guy go down that’s been huge for us in (Connor), and (Perreault) comes in and does a great job," Scheifele said.

MASON NEARING RETURN Goalie Steve Mason is nearing a return to the crease after suffering a concussion Nov. 25 in San Jose.

"He’s feeling really good. He’s going to do the test here in the next day or so. He went hard (Sunday) for an extended period on the ice. No shots, but positioning, things like that. So he’s moving along quite quickly," head coach Paul Maurice said following Sunday’s game.

Mason will travel with the team this week on their three-game trip.

Eric Comrie is currently serving as the backup to Connor Hellebuyck, but has yet to see any action in the four games since Mason was hurt after taking a puck to the mask.

Winnipeg Sun http://winnipegsun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/winnipeg-jets/dynamic-duo-lead-charge-wheeler-and- scheifele-on-fire-as-jets-win-again

Dynamic duo lead charge: Wheeler and Scheifele on fire as Jets win again

By Ken Wiebe

Blake Wheeler isn’t a numbers guy and doesn’t really like talking about where he sits in the NHL scoring derby.

That’s understandable, but the numbers the Winnipeg Jets captain and his linemate Mark Scheifele are putting up these days are impossible to ignore.

With a goal and three assists from Wheeler and a goal and two points from Scheifele, the Jets cruised to a 5-0 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Sunday night at Bell MTS Place.

The Jets, who improved to 17-6-1 on the season and moved back into sole possession of top spot in the Central Division and Western Conference standings and into a tie with the for first overall, open a three-game road trip on Tuesday against the Detroit Red Wings.

By chipping in those three helpers, Wheeler moved into top spot in the NHL in assists with 28, two up on Tampa Bay Lightning centre Steven Stamkos.

Wheeler also moved past Phil Kessel for fourth place in the NHL scoring derby with 35 points in 26 games.

“They showed it on the board and guys start saying stuff, but it’s not what I’m out here trying to do – to be honest with you,” said Wheeler. “It’s about trying to play how we’re trying to play every night. That’s the gist of what (Scheifele) and I have tried to do this year. Play fast and play hard every single night and when we’re doing that, you’re going to create chances.”

Scheifele is close behind, tied with Kessel for fifth, just one point behind Wheeler.

Shortly after the arrival of Jets head coach Paul Maurice, Wheeler and Scheifele were put together on a line and the move is paying major dividends.

Wheeler has grown into one of the top power forwards in the NHL and bound for a third consecutive 70-plus point season and likely a career high, while Scheifele continues to emerge as a front-line centre after a breakout season saw him produce 82 points in 2016-17.

Wheeler is more concerned about leading by example and playing the right way than he is about piling up points.

The same goes for Scheifele, who is constantly doing whatever he can to push himself to get better.

Already a hockey junkie, being around a leader like Wheeler has helped push Scheifele to new heights.

“I’ve got to push a lot to keep up. He’s unbelievable,” said Scheifele. “It’s his battle level. Every single puck he battles for it. He blocks shots, he makes hits, he takes hits. He does everything you want in a player and obviously he’s got a pretty sweet set of hands on him, which makes my job pretty easy. He does everything right and the biggest thing for me is he continues to push. Every year he wants to be better. He wants to be one of the best players in the league. He pushes each and every summer and every year to get that.”

Not that he needed any prodding, but Scheifele has helped Wheeler find a new level to his game as well.

“Early on, he was looking up to me, wanting to play together and he was trying to learn some of the things that I’ve done to get myself to where I was. The last couple of years, it’s almost reversed a little bit,” said Wheeler. “I’ve had to follow what he’s done a little bit. It’s been a real blessing to have a guy to push you like that.

“We’ve just gotten so talented in our top-six that you can’t rest on what you’ve done. You have to try and get better and that’s what (Scheifele) is elite at. Trying to find different ways to get better, new ways to get better.”

Wheeler and Scheifele are both on pace to hit triple digits in points, though both guys would be happy to sacrifice those personal statistics for another crack at a lengthy playoff run.

“They’re starting to learn what they’re capable of,” said Maurice. “It’s impressive to watch.”

This victory by the Jets was not only one-sided, it was almost clinical.

It’s tough to find an area of the game the Jets didn’t hold a decisive edge in.

They won the special-teams battle (3-0 on the strength of scoring three power-play markers for a second straight game and for the third time this season), hold a decisive edge in territorial play and didn’t give up much in terms of quality chances, as Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck made 21 saves to record his first shutout of the season.

“It feels like I finally got the monkey off my back,” said Hellebuyck. “This is more of a team shutout. When the guys are playing as good as they are in front of me, it makes my life a lot easier.”

The Jets chased Senators goalie Mike Condon after scoring five times on 22 shots on goal. Were it not for a 27-save relief performance from Craig Anderson, this blowout would have been even more lopsided.

“Maybe one of the most dominating performances I’ve been part of in this league, to be honest,” said Jets winger Mathieu Perreault, who had a goal and two assists as he filled in on the top line for an injured Kyle Connor. “From the first minute, we took over the game.” http://winnipegsun.com/sports/hockey/jets-cookin-at-home-again

Jets cookin' at home again

By Taylor Allen

Bell MTS Place is not where you want to be if you’re a visiting team trying to get back on track.

The Ottawa Senators, who have lost seven out of their past eight games, got blasted 5-0 by the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday night.

The Jets’ dominance at home continues, where they haven’t lost since Nov. 4 when they fell 5-4 in overtime to the . The last time the Jets lost in regulation at home was on Oct. 17, when they lost 5-2 to the . The team is now 10-2-1 at home and 9-0-1 in their past 10 games at Bell MTS Place, giving them sole possession of first place in the Western Conference.

Out of all those victories, Jets’ forward Mathieu Perreault thinks their latest win might be their most impressive one yet.

“Maybe one of the most dominating performances I’ve been part of in this league, to be honest,” said Perreault, who had a goal and two assists. “From the first minute, we took over the game. I think at one point the shots were 40-something to 15. We were in their end the whole game. Our gap was tremendous. We didn’t give them nothing. They had a couple chances and (Hellebuyck) shut the door. Other than that, we really had control of the game the whole time.”

Power play keeps rolling A key reason for home success has been the power play. It only took two minutes into the game for the Jets’ power play to get rolling, as Mark Scheifele made Ottawa pay for a too-many-men- penalty to open the scoring.

The Jets finished the night 3-for-5 on the power play, which moved them ahead of the Nashville Predators for the second-best power play in the league at 27.4%. The Tampa Bay Lightning has the best power play in the league at 27.8%. It was also the second game in a row where the Jets scored three power-play goals, as the Jets went 3-for-5 on Friday against the Vegas Golden Knights.

It hasn’t been just one power-play unit working for the Jets either, as both lines have been getting it done for the team.

“It creates a little challenge between the two (power-play units),” Perreault said. “If they don’t score, we get a chance to go out there and show them that maybe we should be the first unit. Right now, it has been a lot of fun and it’s great to have two units that can definitely score.”

No Connor, no problem Jets’ head coach Paul Maurice had to tweak his lineup heading into Sunday’s tilt with Ottawa as Kyle Connor missed the game with a lower-body injury. Connor, who is listed as day-to-day, was injured in Friday’s 7-4 win over Vegas.

His absence led to Perreault getting promoted from the fourth line to the first line to play alongside Blake Wheeler and Scheifele. The line didn’t miss a beat without Connor, as Scheifele, Perreault and Wheeler all scored on Sunday.

“What a luxury that is to have that kind of depth,” Wheelers said. “It’s a bummer to miss KC (Connor), he has played so well and is confidence is so high. We grab a guy like Matty Perreault seemingly out of nowhere and not miss a beat. He plays so hard. It seems like when he’s out there, no matter what line he’s on, there are so many loose pucks. What a blessing to be able to slot him in when you’re missing a guy.”

Perreault has six goals and 12 points in 10 games since he’s returned to the lineup from injury.

Shawn Matthias, who has been a healthy scratch the past nine games, got the call to dress with Connor out of the lineup. Matthias played on the fourth line and saw just over 11 minutes of action, registering two shots on goal. The team hopes to have Connor, a Michigan native, back in time for Tuesday’s game in Detroit.

Hellebuyck gets first shutout The Jets fired 49 shots on Ottawa, a season high and one away from a franchise record, while Jet’s goalie Connor Hellebuyck faced 21. He managed to stop them all to earn his first shutout of the year. He said the team’s playing so well lately that he’s been used to not facing a ton of shots.

“It feels like I finally got the monkey off my back,” said Hellebuyck on earning his first shutout this season. “This is more of a team shutout. When the guys are playing as good as they are in front of me, it makes my life a lot easier. When one guy is feeling it, you can see it go through the locker room. That’s what we have in here now.”

Not a happy homecoming for Stone The closest Ottawa came to scoring was when Senators’ forward and Winnipeg native Mark Stone had a shot ring off the goalpost five minutes into the game. The Jets gathered the rebound and took the puck down the ice and scored to make it a 2-0 game.

The 5-0 loss to the Jets also ended Stone’s five game point streak. The former Brandon Wheat King forward leads the Senators in scoring this year with 14 goals and 11 assists. He said his team played with a lack of confidence and effort on Sunday night.

It’s about as embarrassing as I’ve ever felt playing in the NHL so definitely one we’ve got to wash away,” Stone said.

Canadian Press https://www.chrisd.ca/2017/12/03/hellebuyck-earns-shutout-wheeler-four-points-jets-win- senators/#.WiV3QVWnFhE

Hellebuyck Earns Shutout, Wheeler Has Four Points in Jets Win Over Senators

By Judy Owen, The Canadian Press

WINNIPEG – Connor Hellebuyck was relieved to finally shut the door on an opponent this season.

The Winnipeg Jets got his first shutout of the season with a 21-save performance in a 5-0 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Sunday and shared the credit with his high-flying teammates.

“It feels like I finally got the monkey off my back,” said Hellebuyck, who has a 15-2-3 record this season.

“This is more of a team shutout. When the guys are playing as good as they are in front of me, it makes my life a lot easier. When one guy is feeling it, you can see it go through the locker- room. That’s what we have in here now.”

Captain Blake Wheeler had a goal and three assists to boost Winnipeg’s NHL Western Conference-leading record to 17-6-4. Their 38 points also tied them for first overall in the league with idle Tampa Bay, which has a game in hand.

Wheeler’s linemates, centre Mark Scheifele and left-winger Mathieu Perreault, also had a goal each. The trio made up a new top line after Perreault moved from the fourth line and replaced Kyle Connor, who was scratched with a day-to-day undisclosed injury.

“What a luxury that is to have that kind of depth,” Wheeler said.

Perreault has played with the pair before and was happy to fill in, especially with the ensuing results.

“Maybe one of the most dominating performances I’ve been part of in this league, to be honest,” said Perreault.

“From the first minute, we took over the game. I think at one point the shots (were) 40- something to 15. We were in their end the whole game … They had a couple chances and (Hellebuyck) shut the door.”

Patrik Laine and Tyler Myers also supplied goals for the Jets, who boosted their winning streak at Bell MTS Place to six games (10-2-1). They’re also unbeaten in regulation in their last 10 games at home (9-0-1).

Perreault and Dustin Byfuglien each had a pair of assists. Scheifele added one helper, extending his point streak to four games with nine points off three goals and six assists.

Scheifele’s 34 points is tied for fifth in NHL scoring, one point back of Wheeler’s fourth-place point total of 35. The captain’s 28 assists lead the league.

Mike Condon started in net for the Senators (9-10-6), but let in five goals on 22 shots and was replaced by Craig Anderson early in the second period. Anderson made 27 saves the rest of the way. Winnipeg’s 49 shots were its highest of the season.

“It’s about as embarrassing as I’ve ever felt playing in the NHL so definitely one we’ve got to wash away,” said Senators forward Mark Stone, a Winnipeg native. “Lack of confidence, lack of effort. Anything you want to say, it wasn’t there tonight.”

It was the third time this season Ottawa has been shut out. A fan in the crowd even threw a Senators jersey on the ice at the end of the game, but the number wasn’t visible.

“Any time you see your (team) jersey thrown on the ice, it’s never a good feeling,” Stone said.

Ottawa went back to its losing ways after halting a seven-game winless skid with a 6-5 victory on Friday over the . Defenceman Erik Karlsson’s pointless streak stretched to nine games.

The Jets led 2-0 after the first period and got a goal on each of their first three shots to open the second.

Three of those five goals were with the man advantage, the second straight game Winnipeg has netted a trio of power-play markers. The Jets were 3-for-5 on the power play and the Senators were scoreless on three attempts.

“That’s a really good hockey team and they made us look like a mite team out there,” Ottawa forward said.

Winnipeg heads out for a three-game road trip starting in Detroit Tuesday. The Senators continue a seven-game trip with their third outing Wednesday against Anaheim.

NHL.com https://www.nhl.com/news/ottawa-senators-winnipeg-jets-game-recap/c-293646896

Wheeler, Hellebuyck help Jets past Senators Forward has four points, goalie makes 21 saves in shutout by Scott Billeck / NHL.com Correspondent

WINNIPEG -- Blake Wheeler had four points and Connor Hellebuyck made 21 saves for his first shutout of the season when the Winnipeg Jets defeated the Ottawa Senators 5-0 at Bell MTS Place on Sunday.

Wheeler, who had a goal and three assists, is fourth in NHL scoring with 35 points and ranks first with 28 assists, two more than Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos.

Mathieu Perreault had a goal and two assists, Mark Scheifele had a goal and an assist and Patrik Laine and Tyler Myers scored for the Jets (17-6-1), who have won six straight at home and are 9-0-1 in their past 10 games here.

"We'll absolutely leave this one here," Jets coach Paul Maurice said. "That wasn't Ottawa's best game. I've watched them play now. They're capable of some better hockey. So it was just a 60- minute, two-pointer. We forget this one as fast as we played it."

Winnipeg outshot Ottawa 49-21, including 19-3 in the first period and 23-9 in the third period.

"It's about as embarrassing as I've ever felt playing in the NHL so definitely one we've got to wash away," Senators forward Mark Stone said.

Mike Condon allowed five goals on 22 shots for the Senators (9-10-6) and was pulled in the second period. Craig Anderson made 27 saves in relief.

Ottawa is 1-7-1 in its past nine games.

"Maybe one of the most dominating performances I've been part of in this league, to be honest," Perreault said. "From the first minute, we took over the game. I think, at one point, the shots 40- something to 15. We were in their end the whole game. Our gap was tremendous. We didn't give them nothing."

Scheifele extended his point streak to four games (three goals, six assists), scoring 2:20 into the first period on the power play to make it 1-0.

Perreault made it 2-0, tipping Jacob Trouba's point shot past Condon at 6:00.

Wheeler gave the Jets a 3-0 lead, scoring on a centering feed from Scheifele at 3:18 of the second period.

"I just thought we were going to get a much better pushback and a much better shooting mentality," Senators coach said. "That's what we've got to go back to. We've got the guys to be able to do that."

Laine, playing in his 100th NHL game, scored his 13th of the season at 6:20 on the power play to make it 4-0.

Myers, who played in his 500th NHL game, made it 5-0 with a power-play goal 30 seconds later.

The Jets (38 points) tied the Lightning for the most points in the League.

"It's December," Wheeler said. "We're not slapping ourselves on the back. We're excited about where our team is at. It's the best we've done since we've been back in Winnipeg."

Goal of the game Laine's goal at 6:20 of the second period.

Save of the game Hellebuyck's pad save on Mark Stone at 19:08 of the second period.

Highlight of the game Condon's save on Bryan Little at 11:55 of the first period.

They said it "That's a really good hockey team and they made us look like a mite team out there." -- Senators forward Nate Thompson

"They showed it on the board and guys started saying stuff and whatever. It's not what I'm out here trying to do, to be honest with you. It's about trying to play how we're trying to play every single night." -- Jets forward Blake Wheeler said on leading the NHL in assists

Need to know Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson has no points in his past nine games. He had 17 (one goal, 16 assists) in his previous 10. … Winnipeg is 6-for-10 on the power play in its past two games. ... Jets forward Kyle Connor (undisclosed) and goaltender Steve Mason (concussion) will travel on an upcoming three-game road trip, which begins against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday.

What's next Senators: At the on Wednesday (10 p.m. ET; FS-W, RDS, TSN5, NHL.TV) Jets: At the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday (7:30 p.m. ET; FS-D, TSN3, NHL.TV)

Ottawa Sun http://ottawasun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/ottawa-senators/senators-knocked-down-another-peg

Senators knocked down another 'Peg

By Bruce Garrioch

WINNIPEG — One win in nine games is already embarrassing enough.

But this loss, and the fashion in which it happened, may have been the most embarrassing of them all for the Ottawa Senators.

After breaking a seven-game winless skid with a 6-5 victory Friday night against the New York Islanders, the Senators fumbled away their one-game “winning streak” with a disgraceful 5-0 defeat to the high-flying Winnipeg Jets Sunday night at Bell MTS Place.

“That’s about the most embarrassed I’ve ever felt playing in the NHL,” said winger Mark Stone. “Definitely one that we’ve got to wash away.

“Lack of confidence. Lack of effort. Anything you want to say. It wasn’t there tonight. We have to be ready to play. We knew this team was good in the first period and they walked all over us. I think the shots were (19-3). We just had no pushback at all … It could have been 5-0 (after the first)”

The Senators were outshot and completely outplayed by the Jets, who moved their record to 9- 0-1 at home in the last 10 games. Tyler Myers, Mark Scheifele, Mathieu Perreault, Patrick Laine and Blake Wheeler did the scoring as Mike Condon was pulled in favour of Craig Anderson midway through the second.

“Every guy in this room is embarrassed right now. We have to play better. It’s as simple as that,” said forward Nate Thompson. “This is a good league. It’s not going to get any easier and no one is going to feel sorry for us. We have to come to work and we have to come to play.

“I think you could definitely say we weren’t ready to play. Look at the score, look at the result and look how we played. That’s a really good hockey team, a really good hockey team, and they made us look like a mite team out there.”

No, the Senators aren’t going to win them all and the Jets are one of the NHL’s best teams right now, but they should at least give themselves a chance. They had hoped to build some confidence with the victory in Brooklyn, however, they fell apart at the seams in this one pretty quickly.

It’s hard to suggest that Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck as the Senators took a pounding by being outshot 50-20.

The Jets, ranked No. 1 in the West, are a difficult test for anybody because they’ve got a big team and they can score goals but coach Guy Boucher didn’t want the Senators to get caught up in the hype.

“Right now, they’re firing on all cylinders,” said Boucher. “They played great and we didn’t at all. It was a recipe for disaster and we’ve got to move on. It’s a tough trip and we knew it was going to be a tough trip but we’ve got to get ready for the next game.

“Our compete level wasn’t high enough.”

You need your best players to be your best players and it’s not happening with any sort of consistency for the Senators right now. This seven-game road trip could go a long way in determining whether this club makes the playoffs and this can’t happen again.

The Senators fell apart in every aspect of the game.

They allowed two power play goals in a span of 30 seconds that allowed Winnipeg to pull out to a 5-0 lead in the second. One came on a 5-on-3 that was setup after the Ottawa bench was assessed a minor penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Boucher decided he’d seen enough of Condon’s act when he allowed three goals on three shots to start the second. It was Myers’ power play effort at 6:50 that chased Condon from the game. Laine’s 13th of the season at 6:20 gave the Jets a 4-0 lead and. at that point, it didn’t look like there was any stopping Winnipeg.

No, it wasn’t Condon’s fault, but the Jets struck at 3:18 of the second when Wheeler fired it home from the slot to give Winnipeg a 3-0 lead. That pretty much sealed any hope the Senators might come back.

Getting off to a quick start was part of the game plan, but the Senators did just the opposite with bad penalties, bad penalties and a terrible effort. Not only did they trail 2-0 to the Jets on the scoreboard, they were outshot 19-3 by Winnipeg and went more than 15 minutes without a shot.

Only moments after Stone hit the post at the other end, the Jets pulled out to a 2-0 lead on the strength of Perreault’s effort. He tipped a shot from the point by Condon six minutes into the period and, at that point, the Senators had been outshot 9-2 by the Jets.

Discipline was also supposed to be key in this one but the Senators allowed one of the NHL’s most lethal power plays to open the scoring. It looked easy for Scheifele to score his 14th when he was left all alone in the circle and fired it by Condon stick side at 2:20 after Ottawa was assessed a too many men on the ice penalty.

“They’re a good team. They’re playing really well right now,” said captain Erik Karlsson. “They scored two quick ones, and that was in our game plan not to get frustrated, and they score twice and we can’t really find any momentum.”

The Senators headed to California immediately after the game to prepare to face the Anaheim Ducks Wednesday and the Thursday as this road trip continues.

Sporting News http://www.sportingnews.com/ca/nhl/news/watch-blake-wheeler-stars-as-winnipeg-jets-rout- ottawa-senators-nhl/1my09djuc4xgi13tua45sfom2w

Blake Wheeler stars as first-place Jets rout Senators

By Rudi Schuller

Another game, another goal-fest for the Winnipeg Jets.

The Jets scored at least five goals for the third time in the last four games as they dismantled the visiting Ottawa Senators 5-0 on Sunday.

Led by Blake Wheeler's four-point night, Winnipeg claimed sole possession of first place in the NHL's Western Conference with Sunday's win. The Jets also moved alongside the Tampa Bay Lightning as co-leaders of the entire NHL.

By the numbers: Canadiens rout Red Wings 10-1

The star of the show was Wheeler, who racked up three assists to catapult him ahead of the Lightning's Steven Stamkos for the league lead. The 31-year-old now has 28 helpers so far this season after assisting on goals by Mark Scheifele, Mathieu Perreault and Patrik Laine.

To make his night even better, Wheeler got in on the goal-scoring himself when he finished a Scheifele feed with a textbook shot from the high slot early in the second period.

It was his seventh goal of the season.

Wheeler's career high for assists came last season, when the Minnesota native notched 48 helpers for Winnipeg. He's on pace to obliterate that mark, which is nothing but good news for Wheeler and the high-flying Jets.

The Athletic Winnipeg https://theathletic.com//172001/2017/12/03/a-closer-look-at-corsi-how-much-it-matters-and- what-it-tells-us-about-the-jets-season-so-far/?redirected=1

A closer look at Corsi, how much it matters, and what it tells us about the Jets' season so far

By Garret Hohl

A lot has been made of the Winnipeg Jets and their performance in the standings versus the so- called advanced statistics. The team sits top-five in the league for points, wins, points per game, and goal differential. Their opponents typically out shoot the Jets at even strength, placing them bottom-ten in Corsi percentage and just outside of the bottom-ten after adjusting somewhat for score-effects.

Are the Jets breaking the trends in hockey we've previously observed, or are they doomed for regression? What do these numbers all really mean? The answer lies in better understanding the purpose behind Corsi and other similar statistics.

Corsi as a tool If there is one thing you learn from reading this article, I hope it is this: Corsi is not everything, but it represents a specific part of the game that still matters for every single team and player.

While the chaotic events and movement in hockey may vary from simple-to-complex, the actual objectives are very simplistic: one must score more goals than the opponent to win. The steps to this are fairly simple as well. You want to maximize your number of opportunities (shot volume), maximize your chance in each opportunity (shot quality), and capitalize on those chances (finishing talent). The defensive side of the sport is merely the reciprocal. You want to minimize your opponent's number of opportunities (shot volume), minimize your opponent's chance in each opportunity (shot quality), and stop their chances (goaltending). All other actions either lead up to or are part of these inputs in outscoring the opposition.

Corsi simply measures the shot volume component of hockey. Corsi is a tool for presenting a part of the greater picture. Ignoring it ignores part of the whole picture, but ignoring the other pieces ignores part of the whole picture as well. There are times to focus on the whole picture and times to focus on merely a part.

Popularity and use of Corsi Corsi's original use arose from its ability to illuminate a part of the greater picture that we had no access to prior. The traditional plus-minus statistic was overly flawed and ultimately failed.

Corsi's popularity grew from its ability to predict future success and failure of teams more effectively than even past success in points, wins, or goals. For example, rankings in score- adjusted Corsi at the 20-game mark closer resemble rankings in the standings for isolating games 21-through-82 than those other three markers at the same point. In other words, the average winning team with a poor Corsi percentage loses more games for the remainder of the season than the average winning team with a strong Corsi percentage. However, there are always exceptions.

At an explanatory level, Corsi tells us which team is outshooting the opponent. Within a single game, Corsi is not much more informative than that. Scoring chances far outperform Corsi in a single game in telling us who likely won the game, for example. In the long run, however, teams that consistently outshoot outperform those that are outshot.

Corsi exists as a signal that the status quo may change. Most of the more dramatic and infamous falls from glory came from winning teams that tended to get outshot. There is a reason for this.

Corsi as a predictor Scoring chances may tell you who likely wins the same game with greater efficiency than Corsi. Why is it that Corsi, a measure of shot volume including goals, saves, misses, and blocks, tends to relate closer to future success than scoring chances?

The largest reason is due to control. The best shot quantity team will still get outshot at times. The best shot quality team will still struggle to keep opponent shots to the outside and move into the prime areas themselves at times. The best finishers will still have scoring slumps. The best will still go on slides where they struggle to stop the puck. Variance is a part of life and a part of human nature. We are not robots that give consistent effort and results every single time.

Shot quantity, shot quality, finishing talent, and goaltending all matter, but shot quantity performance is far more consistent with talent than the remaining factors. The rarity of goals, the high parity in the NHL and human nature introduces greater instability in the four other inputs. The sheer sample size of shot attempts in a game lessens the impact of noise with shot volume, which in turn causes shot volume to be more consistent. This is why Corsi outperforms other measures, like scoring chances, goals, shooting percentage, save percentage, or PDO in predicting future success.

That said, shot volume is not the only factor that matters and this is why one can build superior models, like expected goals, by introducing shot quality and finish talent in addition to shot volume.

How much does it all matter? The specific weightings given in the above graphic are estimates only, but they are non- arbitrary, educated estimates given the mass of research that we have out there. The specific weights are not what is important to get out of the graphic, but rather the relative differences between each.

“Luck” represents more than just lucky goals. Luck is part of the randomness of life, in how we noted earlier the best teams and players at certain aspects of the game can still struggle at their strengths. Even if every team was perfectly equal in talent, effort, or any other tangible and intangible, and each game merely came down to a coin-toss, we would still find some teams outperforming others in the standings. In two separate cases, we have seen that the noise of variance accounts for about one-third of the variation in the standings.

Shot volume represents the largest bunch, with about two-thirds of the remainder, bringing up the total picture to about 75 percent. It is a huge part of the game, which is why those that are best at it will often come out on top more often than those in any other individual area. Still, the remaining parts, when including luck, together equate to about the same importance, if not more. For this reason, the best teams in shot quantity are not destined to be successful, while the worst are not destined for failure.

Shot quality, goaltending, and finishing talent all carry significant weighting. Combined they can counter many of the problems that arise without shot quantity talent, and without them they can severely diminish shot quantity talent.

Overall, shot quantity is an important part of the game, which is why it is important to do well as possible in it, but it is not the whole game. Another caveat is that Corsi simply measures shot quantity for 5-on-5 situations. Penalty differentials and special team performances impact shot quantity as well.

On the other hand, talent tends to permeate into multiple areas. Those that are better, tend to be better in multiple areas.

Back to the Jets The Jets have been winning despite struggling in shot quantity in the early goings. They have done so with a combination of finishing talent, goaltending, and shot quality – the former two more so than the latter.

Any team will be hard-pressed to continue to succeed in the same manner, although it is not impossible. Teams that win games early while getting outshot tend to fall in the standings, but the Jets carry an embarrassment of riches in young, high-octane offensive weapons and a rising star goaltender who has historically dominated every level prior to the NHL. It would not be surprising to see the Jets continue being a strong team in the finishing talent and goaltending areas.

There is some good news for Jets' fans in the shot quantity department. The team has been doing extraordinarily better in these areas lately. The largest struggles have come from those that normally fair well in shot differentials, like Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler. Their strongest shot differential driver, Mathieu Perreault, has returned from injury. Since Perreault's return, the team has significantly improved in this area and continue to climb the standings in terms of shot differentials.

On the other hand, the team has predominantly faced weaker competition in terms of shot differentials. It’s not as impressive outshooting teams that tend to get outshot. The team has also garnered points in every one-goal game, another potential signal of standings inflation.

The Jets struggled early in the shot differentials, and that is meaningful despite the Jets coach hinting the opposite. The team also played well in most other areas, and this also is meaningful. Altogether this tells me the Jets are more likely an above average team, but their record may be slightly inflated.

Closing Thoughts It is more likely than not that Winnipeg's point pace will falter, at least somewhat. We’ve even started to see that in the three losses in six games prior to Friday's win over the Golden Knights. That said, the Jets are a powerful team in many areas outside of shot quantity, and look to be improving in their area of weakness.

Corsi may not be the whole picture, but it is a part of the picture. If you ignore part of the picture, you will never see the whole picture. www.winnipegjets.com https://www.nhl.com/jets/news/wheelers-four-point-night-leads-jets-to-shutout-win-over- ottawa/c-293650778

Wheeler's four-point night leads Jets to shutout win over Ottawa Hellebuyck makes 21 saves for his first shutout of the season by Mitchell Clinton @MitchellClinton / WinnipegJets.com

WINNIPEG - Forty-nine shots, five goals (three on the power play), and a shutout.

Mathieu Perreault called it the most dominant performance he's ever been a part of.

The Winnipeg Jets blanked the Ottawa Senators 5-0 on Sunday at Bell MTS Place, with Perreault, Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler combining for nine points.

"From the first minute, we really took over that game," said Perreault. "We were in their end the whole game. Our gap was tremendous. We didn't give them anything.

"We had control of that game the whole time."

Connor Hellebuyck stopped all 21 shots he faced for his first shutout of the season, and seventh of his career.

"It feels like I finally got the monkey off my back," said Hellebuyck. "The guys played great in front of me. This is more of a team shut out. I'm very happy with the way they played, and that I was part of it.

"It's incredible the way we're clicking right now, the confidence in this room. It's fun to watch."

For the second time on the two-game home stand, the Jets power play opened the scoring.

Wheeler sent a pass from the right wing boards across the ice to Scheifele, who slid one home low short side on Mike Condon for his 14th of the season.

It was the start of a four-point night for Wheeler, who now leads the NHL in assists with 28, and became the first player in the NHL this season with three games of four or more points.

"It's not what I'm out here trying to do, to be honest with you. It's play how we're trying to play every single night," said Wheeler. "I think that's the gist of what Scheif and I have tried to do this year - play fast, play hard every single night. With doing that, we're going to create chances, sometimes they're all going to seem to go in, much like our power play.

"It's December, we're not slapping ourselves on the back. Where we're at right now, we're excited about where our team is at."

Perreault made it 2-0 - on just his third shift with Wheeler and Scheifele - when he deflected a Jacob Trouba wrist shot from the point right in front of Condon.

"They're two of the best players in the league right now," Perreault said of Scheifele and Wheeler. "This is a blast. It's an unreal feeling throughout our entire line-up. Our D-corps, to our goalies, to four lines playing well. That's the key to our success right now."

After assisting on the first two goals, Wheeler was the one to light the lamp to make it 3-0. Off a strong forecheck, Scheifele whipped a pass out to Wheeler past Ottawa's Cody Ceci in the high slot. The Jets captain got the shot off quickly, beating Condon under the glove to make it 3-0.

Then with the Jets made the Senators (9-10-6) pay for a cross-checking penalty, and an unsportsmanlike conduct bench minor.

On the ensuing 5-on-3 power play, Patrik Laine scored his 13th of the season with a quick wrist shot from the top of the circle. Then 30 seconds later, Tyler Myers - playing in his 500th NHL game - hammered home a one-timer from the point. It was his fifth of the season, and the end of the night for Condon.

"We're blessed, really. Patrik Laine and Mark Scheifele are two of the better right shots in the world, and they're on the same power play unit," said Wheeler. "It just makes it a really tough match up to take both of them away. When I'm coming down the wall between those two, and with Buff, it's a matter of matching up.

"Try to stay fast, try to get as many pucks as we can to the net, and some times they all seem to go in. Sometimes it goes cold. But you want to keep with the same trigger points."

Craig Andersen came on in relief and made 27 saves to keep the score at 5-0.

"At 5-0 the bench is coaching itself. They're talking to each other about what they want to get done, and I liked the fact that it really didn't change much. They stayed on it," said head coach Paul Maurice.

"That wasn't Ottawa's best game. I've watched them play now, they're capable of some better hockey. It was just a 60-minute two-pointer, and we forget this one as fast as we played it."

The Jets are now 9-0-1 in their last 10 home games, and at 17-6-4, they lead the Central Division and the Western Conference.

Next on the schedule is a three-game road trip, which begins Tuesday night in Detroit. https://www.nhl.com/jets/video/postgame--mark-scheifele/t-277437442/c-55370803

POSTGAME | Mark Scheifele

Mark Scheifele on the chemistry he has with Blake Wheeler, the 5-0 win and more https://www.nhl.com/jets/video/postgame--blake-wheeler/t-277437442/c-55370603

POSTGAME | Blake Wheeler

Blake Wheeler speaks after putting up four points (1G, 3A) in a 5-0 win over the Senators https://www.nhl.com/jets/video/postgame--connor-hellebuyck/t-277437442/c-55370503

POSTGAME | Connor Hellebuyck

Connor Hellebuyck's comments following a 21-save shutout vs. Ottawa