Jets strut their stuff against Senators for impressive Hockey Day In Canada victory

You can’t talk about Hockey Day in Canada without considering the geography of this vast country. 

Regional disparity exists, including in the NHL. Seven NHL teams in Canada, and the trio of clubs on the extremities of Western and Eastern Canada – Vancouver, Ottawa and Montreal – are lagging badly. 

In the Eastern Conference, the Maple Leafs are in good shape behind the almighty Boston Bruins (though the Canadiens surprised Toronto on Hockey Day). But regular season success will mean nothing if Toronto doesn’t finally win a round (since beating the Senators in the 2004 playoffs). Stay tuned for that drama. 

In the Western Conference, the battle for wild card spots will be fierce, but at least the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames are in the thick of it.  

Then there is the team that former Senators head coach Rick Bowness has making noise in the Central Division – the one from central Canada. Saturday night at the Canadian Tire Centre, the Winnipeg Jets showed why they deserve consideration as the best team in the nation. 

At times, the Jets danced around a tired Senators team, who had played and lost in Pittsburgh the night before. In the end, Winnipeg skated off with a 5-1 win to improve their record to 30-16-1.

Across the NHL, only the Boston Bruins hit the 30-victory mark faster than the Jets.   

After losing in Montreal and Toronto this week, the Jets figured to be a bear in Ottawa. And they were. 

“That’s more like how we want to play,” Bowness said. “The special teams were outstanding. The skill we have, when they move the puck like that, they’re tough to defend.”

The win capped a delightful day for Bowness, who got to skate with his grandson in the morning on the Canadian Tire Centre ice. Bowness’s son, Ryan, is an assistant general manager with the Senators. 

Behind the bench, the veteran coach watched his Jets team go two for eight with the extra man and kill off all four Senators power plays. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 25 of 26 Ottawa shots.  

The Jets got out to an early lead, off a Nikolaj Ehlers power play goal, though the Senators fought back in the first period with a Josh Norris goal off a faceoff. It was Norris’ first goal since returning to action this week following a lengthy absence with a shoulder injury. 

On even strength goals by Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler, the Jets took a 3-1 lead in the second period and could have had more without a couple of dented posts, plus a crossbar hit by Kyle Connor in the first period. 

The Jets put it away in the third on goals by Scheifele and Cole Perfetti, the latter on a power play after Austin Watson took a double minor for roughing. Senators captain Brady Tkachuk also took a late roughing penalty, before chirping the Jets bench in frustration. It’s possible the Senators have just peaked in the frustration department, slumping to 20-23-3 and a share of last place in the Atlantic Division with Montreal.

After a winning month of December, Ottawa has slumped badly, losing four of its past five while getting outscored 22-8. The Senators have lost two straight.  

“Where we were in the standings,” said Senators winger Claude Giroux, “we were looking like we were going in the right direction. In Pittsburgh, we obviously didn’t play well (a 4-1 loss). And tonight, back to back, whether you have your legs or not, you’ve got to find a way to play your best.”

The Senators were happy to hang around in this one for a while and had a power play in the late stages of the second period for a chance to pull within one, but couldn’t generate anything on the Jets defence. 

The Senators look at a team like the Jets as a model of where they would like to be. 

“That’s a real good team, one of the best teams we’ve played,” said Senators head coach D.J. Smith, lamenting his team’s poor discipline – nine minor penalties, although one was off-setting. 

“We’ve got some guys that just (took) bad changes, turnovers – against that team, there’s a certain way you’ve got to play. It’s 3-1, we have a bad change and it’s 4-1, the game’s over.”

Speaking of changes, Smith vowed there will be adjustments to his lineup and not just to his top six, but the first three lines. 

“We’re gonna shuffle the top nine,” Smith said. “There’s guys that are minus every night. That just can’t continue. That’s on me for allowing them to keep playing together.

“We’re going to put a worker on every line.”

Tkachuk and Thomas Chabot were both -3 this night while Stutzle was -4. Drake Batherson was -2 to fall to -32 on the season. 

The changes aren’t just hitting regular lines. During the game, Smith switched up his power play units, removing Chabot and Alex DeBrincat from the top unit late in the game and replacing them with Jake Sanderson and Norris. They didn’t score, although Tkachuk had a good chance in front. 

While the Jets head to Philadelphia Sunday for game four of this five-game eastern swing, it will be interesting to see how the Senators line up for their home game next Wednesday against the New York Islanders. 

“Whatever the lines are, we’re going to have to figure it out and start winning some hockey games here,” Giroux said. 

Arena roads still lead to LeBreton

The Senators may be getting new ownership in the months ahead, but that won’t stop progress on getting a new arena built in central Ottawa.

The National Capital Commission, which owns and operates a large tract of land west of Parliament Hill, gave a progress report at its virtual meeting on Thursday, confirming the arena plans are still a go. The NCC continues to work with the current Senators board in developing a land lease agreement for this fall.

The new owners will be expected to sign off on that agreement and proceed with plans to build on LeBreton Flats land, which has the blessing of the NCC and the NHL. Tobi Nussbaum, chief executive officer of the NCC, said the construction schedule will be determined by the new Senators ownership group.

Just this week certain prospective bidders have been invited to examine the financial books of the Senators as they work toward a determination of interest and ultimate offers to buy the club.