Winnipeg Free Press https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/manitoba-moose/ahl-seeing-brand-new- moose-451031353.html AHL seeing brand-new Moose Improved team beats Cleveland Monsters 4-1 By: Mike Sawatzky The Manitoba Moose didn’t just get a makeover for 2017-18. If you factor in the 15 players on the current American Hockey League roster who did not play regularly for the Moose last season last season, it’s pretty clear this squad has undergone a radical facelift. Sure, second-year pros such as Jack Roslovic and Kyle Connor are still the offensive engine of the team, but with a wave of fresh talent looking to contribute and better production from returnees such as Brendan Lemieux, the Moose should be better than the bunch that finished seventh of eight teams in the Central Division in 2016-17. Lemieux scored once on the power play and added an empty-netter to lead Manitoba to a 4-1 triumph over the Cleveland Monsters at Bell MTS Place on Sunday afternoon. Rookie pro Jansen Harkins, making his season debut, and Connor, with his third in four games, also scored for the hosts, who improved to 2-2-0-0. "I’m playing a lot more, so there’s more confidence that comes with that," said the 21-year-old Lemieux, who has three goals and five points in four games. "So, I knew coming into this league what kind of player I could be and I think I’m getting to the direction I want to be. I’m not there yet, but close. Getting closer every day. The speed thing was important and it’s there. And conditioning aspect of things is there, so it feels good to end games with gas in the tank." The game had some added significance. With Manitoba’s parent club down a pair of veteran forwards (Winnipeg’s Mathieu Perreault and Adam Lowry are both sidelined with injuries), the press box was filled with members of the Jets’ brain trust. Winnipeg head coach Paul Maurice and his entire coaching staff, GM Kevin Cheveldayoff and assistant GM Larry Simmons were all in attendance, considering perhaps which AHL forward might be ripe for recall. At least eight NHL scouts were also in attendance. Among the promotion candidates could be Michael Sgarbossa and Buddy Robinson, who both signed one-way contracts with the Jets in the off-season. The 6-6, 232-pound Robinson, playing on a line with Harkins and Patrice Cormier, made a very good account of himself Sunday. His heady play created a turnover that led to Manitoba’s first goal and he was productive on special teams, helping the Moose kill off all five Cleveland power plays. "I’m just going day by day here," said the 26-year-old product of Bellmawr, N.J. "I’m an older guy in this dressing room — I’m trying to lead by example. If the day comes that I’m called up by the Jets, I’m just going to do the same things I’m doing here. I’m going to go in there, have some experience and play as hard as I can on the defensive side and be really responsible. "I’m a big body and I obviously can use my speed, I’ve been told I can skate pretty well for a big guy... I take a lot of pride in the PK. Our goal wasn’t on the PK, but came at the end of it. I had a little bit of chemistry with Harks and Corms for the whole game." Robinson’s contributions did not go unnoticed. "I really liked his game," Moose head coach Pascal Vincent said. "He’s got a long reach. He’s a smart player. He’s a mistake-free kind of guy. His body positioning, he’s using his body in a good way to defend and he’s got a good stick — he’ll knock some pucks down. He’s got a real good awareness of where he should be on the forecheck. So, when he plays like this, he’s a big plus for our team." Sgarbossa started the season with two goals and four points in three games. He went pointless Sunday but had a prominent role centring Lemieux and rookie Mason Appleton. "I don’t think guys are looking for that," said Sgarbossa of the opportunities for being recalled by the NHL. "I mean, they shouldn’t be because the focus should be on the game. I mean, there are going to be scouts at every game, so you never know when someone’s looking. It’s not just about your own team, it could be other teams as well. It’s always a tryout, especially when you’re in the AHL. You try to get a call-up and make a name for yourself, but when you play on Sundays like that and it’s a 2 o’clock game, scouts tend to go to nice rinks, so that’s a little bit of advice for some young guys." Eric Comrie was sharp in the Moose net, making 28 saves. Cleveland goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks stopped 31 shots. John Mitchell had the lone goal for the Monsters, who fell to 1-2-0-0. NOTEWORTHY: Announced three stars were 1. Lemieux; 2. Harkins; and 3. Comrie. Former Jets defenceman Mark Stuart has signed a one-year deal with Adler Mannheim in Germany. His teammates include goaltender Chet Pickard, a goaltender, and another former Jet, forward Devin Setoguchi. https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/hellebuyck-steps-up-winnipegs-game- 451017943.html Hellebuyck steps up Winnipeg's game Jets win three in a row after goalie replaces Mason between pipes By: Mike McIntyre It is the most surprising development of this young season for the Winnipeg Jets. And it’s creating an interesting dilemma for the team’s deep thinkers. Steve Mason, the prized free-agent signing over the summer meant to stabilize a shaky goalie situation, has quickly been overshadowed and pushed to the bench by the strong play of Connor Hellebuyck. Winnipeg has rattled off three straight wins with Hellebuyck in net, surrendering just five goals in the process. Hellebuyck has stopped 95 of the 100 shots he’s faced in that span. "I’ve been working all summer for this," he said following Saturday night’s impressive 28-save performance in his team’s 2-1 win over Carolina. "I wanted to start with getting my confidence back and getting my poise back in the net. Then I got a new trainer and he was teaching me about the biomechanics and how the body moves and all that, so I was really learning how to become faster and more set, more square. It fit perfectly for my game." It certainly shows. "He’s taken a huge step," forward Nikolaj Ehlers said Saturday night. "He’s kept us in the games, he’s given us a chance to win. That’s what we needed. It’s great for him, great for us." Mason was the anointed starter out of training camp, but he didn’t exactly come bursting out of the starting blocks with his new team. He was pulled early in the third period of the season- opening 7-2 loss to Toronto, then struggled a few nights later as the Jets were thumped 6-3 by Calgary in their first road game. The Jets turned to Hellebuyck last Monday in Edmonton, likely thinking it would just provide a one-game breather to Mason. But Hellebuyck was fantastic in keeping the high-flying Oilers in check as his team snapped their losing skid with a 5-2 win. He carried that momentum into Vancouver and a 4-2 victory, then made it three in a row back home on Saturday night. So how do you take the crease away from him? Mason is no doubt chomping at the bit waiting to try and redeem himself. And the organization certainly didn’t hand out a US$4.1-million contract over the next two seasons with the idea that Mason would spend extended time on the bench. The thinking was Hellebuyck struggled last year without much of a safety net in place, so bringing in an experienced starter like Mason would buy everyone some more time. Is it possible that time has arrived quicker than anyone anticipated? One good week, of course, hardly makes a season. And things can change in a hurry. But Hellebuyck is certainly playing with the poise right now of a No. 1 goalie. "He’s a little bit more comfortable and confident because it isn’t quite the storm of odd-man rushes at him or back door tap-ins. Goalies are players just like players are, so when an offensive guy isn’t putting the puck in the net, maybe he’s not feeling so confident about himself. The same is true for goalies. We’re trying to let him see pucks and you can see his confidence growing," captain Blake Wheeler said following Saturday’s game. And there’s the rub. Perhaps Hellebuyck would have been just as exposed as Mason was had he started those first two games, considering how loosey-goosey they appeared to be playing defensively. (It’s worth noting Hellebuyck was beaten for two third-period goals in the first game against Toronto after Mason was yanked following the first five.) The Jets have said they’re all in this season to make a playoff push, so one would think playing the hot hand would trump any other considerations.