Winnipeg Free Press https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/challenging-calls-as-important-a-play-as- any-466698513.html?k=Tm5csT Challenging calls as important a play as any By: Mike Sawatzky The Winnipeg Jets have made big strides in team defence, goaltending and boosting their offence production during the first half of 2017-18. The most obvious proof is their 20-11-6 record at the Christmas break, good for third in the Central Division. As impressive as those big-picture upgrades have been, the Jets have also been good at some of the smaller details, such as their approach to video review. Two examples in December stand out. On Dec. 2, the Jets challenged a goal by Vegas forward Colin Miller, a scoring play that had given the Golden Knights a 3-1 lead in the second period. After video review, Alex Tuch was judged to have been offside on the play and the goal was overturned. Winnipeg responded by quickly tying the game and surging to a 7-4 triumph on home ice. Seven days later, in Tampa, Fla., the Jets fell behind 2-1 on a goal by Cedric Paquette of the Lightning, only to successfully challenge the play, contending Chris Kunitz interfered with Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck. Tampa Bay would go on to win the game 4-3 in overtime, but the visitors still earned a valuable loser point. "Because we’re talking about goals, there’s always a huge payoff, right?" said Jets head coach Paul Maurice, whose club will host the Edmonton Oilers tonight at 7 p.m. (Sportsnet, TSN 1290.) "If it’s 2-1 and you get the call to go your way, it keeps the game there, like the Vegas game. They’re huge, they’re huge calls. "Actually, the Vegas one was clean. We could see it. It was not a huge overage, but it was over the line, so that one was a fairly easy call to make. "The ones that are (tough) are the ones where you’re not sure. When it’s that close that you can’t really tell, then you’re trying to figure out what the linesman’s going to call on this and the call on the ice has a really big impact on it." Jets video coach Matt Prefontaine monitors replays constantly during a game. Assistant coach Jamie Kompon is equipped with an earpiece and is in communication with Prefontaine and goaltending coach Wade Flaherty, who watches games from the press box and offers immediate opinions on situations involving goalie interference. Assistant coach Todd Woodcroft also adds his view from above while Kompon, assistant coach Charlie Huddy and Maurice monitor screens built into the floor of the players’ bench. And don’t forget the players. Captain Blake Wheeler was among the first to question the offside goal by Miller of the Golden Knights. Maurice hears plenty of input from players in real time. "So, when that puck crosses the line, you’ve got 10 guys screaming, ‘Check that!’ Because the guys sitting right in front of the blue line see it clean," Maurice said. "Or the guy on the ice will tell you, and it’s the same for the goalie. You can almost tell by the goalie’s reaction whether he feels he was interfered with. So the players know that. "The most important people are the players on the ice telling you what’s going on. But there’s lots of them that looked offside and just aren’t." Maurice, for his part, would prefer a failed challenge have less riding on it. Currently, a minor penalty for delay of game is issued for a unsuccessful challenge. "I’m not complaining about the linesmen in this — it’s tough," Maurice said. "They blow plays down that are onside, and as a league, we’re always trying to find more offence. "My personal feeling is I’d like them to make the offside call less punitive... So, they could just say, it’s really, really close. I’m going to leave it because I have a good recourse if I’m wrong, and not take it so personally if (they’re) wrong. "And don’t make it a penalty — lose your timeout, or whatever it is, fine. But adding a two- minute penalty because you’re trying to clean up a decision, I think that’s a bit egregious." There are subtle differences affecting offside and goalie interference challenges. Offside calls are more cut and dried, but the camera angles are usually not as definitive. Overhead angles above the net make it easier to see contact with a goaltender, but the decision is more nuanced. "You get better quality, in terms of making a decision on the goalie, but there’s more grey area, in terms of what’s allowed and what’s not," said Maurice, who is more likely to claim goaltender interference since the penalty of a lost timeout is relatively minor. "The blue line’s simple — the puck’s over or not. Is he touching or not? But the video’s not as good, it’s not as conclusive. The goalie interference video’s very conclusive, but there’s a lot more grey area in terms of what’s allowed. "At the end of the year, (the NHL will) send out 10 examples of goalie interference and they’ll ask every coach and GM to vote. "It’s not even remotely unanimous. It’s all over the spectrum of what people think goalie interference is, which makes it tough. The reason is, it’s not easy. It’s a really difficult thing to figure out." Maurice said he trusts his staff implicitly, but understands the final responsibility stays with him. "Yes, these guys have all been around hockey," Maurice said. "Jamie’s on the earpiece — between Jamie, Charlie and I, we’ve got thousands of games in the NHL. You’re not always going to get it right, but there’s a lot of hockey experience there. I trust them. "That being said, I gotta make that final call, so, if I’m wrong, it’s me. I make the decision, they get the input." Maurice insisted he does not keep a tally of his challenge decisions. "I don’t want a trend," Maurice said. "I don’t want to know if I’m lucky or not. I don’t want this to be a Vegas thing, where, ‘Hey, I’m on a roll, let’s try it.’ That’s not what we’re doing." Winnipeg Sun http://winnipegsun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/winnipeg-jets/five-keys-to-jets-vs-oilers Five keys to Jets vs Oilers By Ken Wiebe Winnipeg Jets vs Edmonton Oilers 7 pm CT, Bell MTS Place, TV: Sportsnet. Radio: TSN 1290 THE BIG MATCHUP Connor Hellebuyck vs Cam Talbot Hellebuyck has started 27 out of the Jets 37 games and put up strong numbers (2.44 goals- against average and .920 save %), so he should be recharged and ready to go. The Oilers top netminder has won seven consecutive starts – including four since returning from injury – and given up only 14 goals during that stretch. Defensive structure is often a bit looser coming out of the holiday break, so the goalies will need to be sharp. KEYS TO THE GAME Find comfort The Jets picked up three of a possible six points on the three-game road trip prior to the break, but are coming off a 5-2 blowout loss to the New York Islanders. The Jets have lost three consecutive games only once this season, so they’ll attempt to snap this two-game skid as they return to action. The Jets are 12-3-1 on home ice this season. Get Scheifele going Jets centre Mark Scheifele has enjoyed a solid start to the season, producing 37 points in 37 games, but he’s been in a bit of an offensive rut of late with only one goal and three points in his past 10 games. The scoring chances have been there though, since Scheifele has generated 31 shots on goal during that stretch. Might a hot streak be right around the corner? Containing Connor McDavid The Oilers captain has heated up and goes into Wednesday’s game sixth in NHL scoring with 14 goals 43 points in 36 games. In six career contests against the Jets, McDavid has been limited to six assists. Limiting the offensive output for McDavid is the goal for every opponent, but it’s easier said than done. Checking-line plus The trio of Adam Lowry, Brandon Tanev and Andrew Copp have been doing more than just check these days, they’ve added an offensive element to their game as well. During the past nine games, Lowry has four goals and seven points, Tanev has a goal and five points and Copp has one goal and four points, which is solid production for a third line. The Finnish connection The second and fourth overall picks in the 2016 NHL Draft have taken different paths in terms of production. Patrik Laine leads the Jets in goals (18) and is third in points (29), while Jesse Puljujarvi is finding his way after spending the bulk of his first season and change of pro hockey in the minors with the Bakersfield Condors. Since being recalled in November, Puljujarvi has six goals and eight points in 19 games while generating 48 shots on goal. http://winnipegsun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/winnipeg-jets/tests-will-continue-to-ramp-up-for-jets- next-chance-to-recharge-comes-in-nine-games Tests will continue to ramp up for Jets: Next chance to recharge comes in nine games By Ken Wiebe Are the Winnipeg Jets about to move from survival mode to attack mode? As the Jets get set to return to action against the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday following the three-day Christmas break, it’s one of the biggest questions to be discussed and eventually answered.