Resurgent Wheeler keeps producing for Jets in big win over Devils

WINNIPEG -- About the only thing missing was the top hat and the trench coat.

Instead of recreating the clothing choices of The Undertaker, Blake Wheeler has chosen to focus on the on-ice resurrection instead of going completely in character for his meetings with members of the media.

At a time when it was starting look like Father Time had threatened to put Wheeler in a Greg Gagne-like sleeper hold, the veteran Winnipeg Jets right-winger has not only escaped the submission move but literally gone on the offensive.

After going 21 games without a goal, Wheeler was reunited with Nikolaj Ehlers and Vladislav Namestnikov and has delivered consecutive multi-point games.

Thanks to a 6-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Sunday night, the Jets maintained control of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, setting the stage for a marquee matchup on Wednesday night against the Calgary Flames.

Going into that battle, the Jets hold a two-point edge over the Flames, with the teams even in games played and just five contests left for both clubs.

“Vlad’s such a smart player, he’s always in the right spot. He’s a really easy guy to read off of. Wants to play a two-man game,” said Wheeler, who is up to 54 points in 68 games this season.. He’s not a guy that needs the puck or wants the puck all the time. He wants it, he’ll give it back to you. (Ehlers) creates so much space.

"For me, I’m maybe a little bit past the part of creating a ton of space for myself, but to play with a guy that can put me in situations where I have time and space, I can still make some plays happen, given those opportunities. I think it’s just three guys that really jell. We kind of have all the components you need to make a good line.”

Putting that line back together is something that has given the Jets a bit more of a balanced attack.

After getting goals from three lines -- and defenceman Dylan DeMelo -- in Friday’s 6-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings, the Jets spread out the production and got goals from three lines for a second consecutive contest, including a nifty penalty-shot marker from fourth-line winger Morgan Barron.

Technically, Nino Niederreiter is playing on the third line, but his 24th goal (and sixth in 17 games since joining the Jets) came on a blended shift with Ehlers and Wheeler.

Wheeler spoke about the importance of having some time between games on this five-game homestand to get rested and recharged and it’s clear he had a little extra spring in his step this weekend.

“I still feel great. You just have to evolve a little bit. I think the game has changed quite a bit, too. Players are a lot faster and move a lot better. You don’t have the guys my size that can’t skate very well to skate around. I’ve had to evolve over the years,” said Wheeler. “I still think I move more than well enough to be effective. I guess the point was playing with a guy like Nikky, he’s so dangerous and draws so many eyes to him, if you’re able to play off him and read off him a little bit, you’re going to find yourself with a lot of time and space.

“You know, I watch all of our guys who are really effective offensively and I think a lot of that is just a feel and a knack you just kind of are born with as well. You know, when you’re in those scoring areas, just having the feel of what the right play is next. Yeah, the more you can play with guys that are dangerous like that, that can put you in those situations, the more effective I can be going forward.”

During the weekend, the Jets exploded for 12 goals after managing to light the lamp just nine times in the previous seven outings.

Perhaps the most impressive part of the offensive outburst was that 11 of the 12 goals were scored at even strength, with the other coming with the man-advantage, snapping a 1-for-36 drought on the power play when Josh Morrissey found Pierre-Luc Dubios for a one-timer Sunday.

Coach Rick Bowness started his second unit, but given the recent struggles felt he had no choice but to throw the new-look top grouping over the boards for the final minute of the man-advantage.

“Honestly, when it's 5-0, I hate to put that unit out there but our power play's got to get going,” said Bowness. “The second unit went out, they did a good thing, and again it's 5-0, I hate to throw out that unit, I really do, but the most important thing is for our team. And we have to get that power play clicking. And we need it clicking on Wednesday night and we need it clicking until the end of the season. So we did it, they made a great play, and they got a great goal.”

One of the most important plays in the entire game didn’t show up in the score sheet, but it will be in the video the team shows in preparation for its next outing.

Instead of giving up a three-on-one rush to the Devils shortly after a power play expired, some great hustle on the back check by Adam Lowry got the puck going the other way and led to the goal from Niederreiter that was set up by Wheeler and Ehlers.

“It was a second effort. He recognized what was happening and it was a tremendous effort by him. That's on-ice awareness, we talk a lot about on-ice awareness and that's a perfect example,” said Bowness. “I think he saw what was developing and he made the extra effort and he used his strength and his size and his stick length, broke up a play, and it turns into the winning goal.”

Not lost in the offensive onslaught was the play of goalie Connor Hellebuyck, who made his 60th start of the season and was once again rock-solid as he earned his 34th win.

Were it not for a late power-play goal for the Devils, Hellebuyck would have earned his fourth shutout of the season.

But at this stage of the season, Hellebuyck is worried about W’s and not personal statistics.

“I mean, not a whole lot’s changed. We’re sticking to our game and we’re building it. This is when you want to peak and I think that’s what we’re doing. We’re building our playoff game and if it looks like that I think we’re going to be pretty happy in here,” said Hellebuyck. “Yeah, I think results make you feel good, results are reassuring. They let you know that you’re doing all the things right and you’re playing hard enough. Like we’ve always said, we are letting things take care of themselves and we are playing our game.”