Physical first period...
Good energy and solid play by the Blues for the first 5 minutes with 4 shots on goal including a breakaway by Zack Bolduc. Hofer strong in net making several point blank saves. The Blues need to shore up their defense as they had 7 D-zone turnovers and 12 giveaways.
No score after 1 period. Shots 8 to 6 in favor of the Jets. Four scoring chances for the Blues. A tight physical period.
Eights are wild…domination!
Blues have the edge in play for the first five minutes of the 2nd period with 5 shots to 2 for the Jets. The Blues go on the powerplay 7 minutes into the period and can only generate 1 shot.
Jets get a powerplay with 8:30 left and a great kill by the Blues allowing no shots on goal. Jets one of the top powerplay teams in the league scoring over 30% of the time.
Blues back to the penalty kill with 3:11 left in the period. Can we get a repeat penalty kill performance? No need as the Jets commit a penalty right off the faceoff and we are 4 on 4.
Jordan Kyrou and Brayden Schenn come in on a 2 on 1 late on their shift…Schenn flips a pass over to Kyrou who gets a rebound behind Hellebuyck…Kyrou #8 and Perunovich getting the 2nd assist at 18:04. While still on the 4 on 4 Dylan Holloway takes a centering pass from Robert Thomas and Holloway gets his own rebound and puts it over the shoulder of Hellebuyck for Holloway's 8th of the season…at 18:43
The Blues dominate the 2nd period…2 goals in 39 seconds…and finish the period up by 2 with 19 shots to 3. One of the Blues best periods of the year. As they continue to out hit the Jets…20 to 12 for the game and win over 70% of the faceoffs. And only 1 D-zone turnover in the period.
Spin-o-rama…
Kyrou with his second goal of the game as the Blues continue to put the pressure on with great tenacity along the boards and get the puck in the slot to Kyrou who spins 360 degrees and fires it in the back of the net—Holloway and Schenn with the assists. Kyrou’s 9th and we are on the hat trick watch. 3-zip at 6:38. Back to the powerplay for the Blues with under 13 minutes left…only 1 shot while the Jets had a couple of shorthanded chances…Hofer is up to the challenge!
5 Minutes!!
Jets pull the goalie with over 4:40 left…down by 3… a big rebound comes out to the left faceoff circle and the Jets score on their 21st shot…3 to 1 with 4:10 left.
3:46 left and the Jets net is empty again…Robert Thomas gets a pass from Brandon Saad off the faceoff in the defensive zone and shoots it the length of the ice into the empty net…his 3rd of the year. 4 to 1 and that’s how it ends.
Notes: Blues 3-0-1 under Montgomery…Holloway goals in 3 straight games…Jets were shotless for over 12 minutes in the 2nd…Blues first win of the season against Central division teams…Blues snap a 5-game losing streak in Winnipeg…Blues outshoot (32 to 23)…out hit (24 to 18)…and win 64% of the faceoffs.