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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tANGELINA KATSANIS \/ THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
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The Winnipeg Jets celebrate Nino Niederreiter’s goal during the first period against the New York Islanders, Monday, in Elmont, N.Y. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, that\u2019s what we need throughout the year,\u201d said Pearson. \u201cI think that\u2019s what makes a good team, when it gets going throughout the lineup. It just showed our depth.\u201d<\/p>\n
That depth has been tested with some early injuries but in a game the Jets were down to 11 forwards for the final two periods after Koepke left with a lower-body injury, the team stepped up and got the job done.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need that,\u201d said Toews, who recorded his first point since Apr. 14 of 2023 when he appeared in his final game with the Chicago Blackhawks. \u201cWe\u2019ve got a hell of a first line, those guys find ways every single night and carry the offence for this team. To win the majority of our games, especially against good teams, we need to help those guys out.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mission accomplished on that front and the top line showed its appreciation by supplying an empty-net goal as an insurance marker with 2:25 left to go in regulation time, with Kyle Connor stripping the puck from Jonathan Drouin and finding Mark Scheifele for his third goal of the campaign.<\/p>\n
The Jets are back in action on Thursday when they close out the two-game road swing in Philadelphia against the Flyers.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s take a closer look at what transpired in this one:<\/p>\n
THE START<\/p>\n
Jets backup Eric Comrie was a bit of a surprise starter in this one, given the two-day break before the next game.<\/p>\n
But in order to help reduce Connor Hellebuyck\u2019s workload below 60 starts, Comrie needs to get some early-season action and he wasn\u2019t given the opportunity to ease into this one \u2014 as he faced three quality scoring chances in the opening 30 seconds.<\/p>\n
One of those chances was a one-timer from Mathew Barzal and Comrie stood tall, something he would do on numerous occasions as the Jets improved to 2-1-0.<\/p>\n
\u201cOutstanding,\u201d said Jets head coach Scott Arniel. \u201cHe had to be really good, especially in the 10 minutes of that game. They had some point blank one where he came up large and kept us in that game and kept the building a little quieter.<\/p>\n
\u201cGood goaltending can bail you out of some situations, and he did that.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Jets would like to get Comrie closer to 25 starts this season and if he\u2019s as sharp as he was on Monday, that will be easier to accomplish.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was unbelievable,\u201d said Pearson. \u201cThey came out really strong, and he was the one that kind of kept us in it. And, fortunately we were able to respond for him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
THE KEY PLAY<\/p>\n
Jets defenceman Logan Stanley snuck a shot through the pads of Ilya Sorokin 2:19 into the second period, restoring the two-goal cushion just 14 seconds after Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored for the Islanders.<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Winnipeg Jets centre Morgan Barron (36) scores the first goal on assists by Cole Koepke and Logan Stanley in the first period. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n THE THREE STARS<\/p>\n Eric Comrie, Jets \u2013 Finished with 33 saves, including several of the highlight-reel variety. \u00a0<\/p>\n THE YOUNGSTER<\/p>\n Islanders defenceman and 2025 first overall pick Matthew Schaefer made an impression in this one, recording four shots on goal while generating 12 shot attempts in 26:35 of ice time, which led all players.<\/p>\n Schaefer\u2019s explosiveness was one thing that stood out throughout the contest.<\/p>\n \u201cI just made the comment to management that I\u2019m glad he\u2019s in the East. The kid is dynamic,\u201d said Arniel.<\/p>\n \u201cBoy, can he skate. I\u2019ve seen some young guys step into this league. There\u2019s a guy in Colorado (Cale Makar) that kind of had that same kind of poise and ability to move. He is dynamic. I saw some video and watched him on TV last year. But to see him live, man, man oh man, he can jump. He can skate and he has some tools.\u201d<\/p>\n Schaefer also caught the attention of Toews.<\/p>\n \u201cHe had the puck a lot. He\u2019s influencing the game,\u201d said Toews. \u201cPretty crazy to see a kid at his age, even not having played much last year, to go No. 1 and step in and look as comfortable as he is now.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously he has tremendous skill and speed as well. He had some flashes out there where you think you\u2019ve got position on him and he\u2019s jumping around you. Incredibly patient and poised with the puck. No doubt he\u2019s a special player.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Jonathan Toews recorded his first point as a Jet with an assist on Nino Niederreiter\u2019s first-period tally, his first of the season. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n EXTRA, EXTRA<\/p>\n For the second time in as many games, the Jets had a player leave the game after blocking a shot. On Saturday, it was defenceman Haydn Fleury taking one off the kneecap and on Monday, it was Koepke that sustained a lower-body injury. Koepke, who had five shifts for 2:50 of ice time, blocked the shot during an Islanders power play late in the first period and didn\u2019t return.<\/p>\n \u201cHe got hit with that slapper. Obviously, he was just really, really sore,\u201d said Arniel. \u201cWe\u2019ll just go day by day here, trying to see how it\u2019s moving and (see if) it gets a little bit looser as he goes forward.\u201d<\/p>\n The Jets got a power-play marker from the second unit as Niederreiter banked a shot off the back of Sorokin and finished one-for-three, while the penalty kill was a perfect five-for-five to improve to 14-of-15 on the season (93.3 per cent).<\/p>\n Scheifele is up to three goals and six points in three games this season, while Connor has three goals and five points.<\/p>\n The Jets scratches were defencemen Kale Clague and Fleury and forward Parker Ford (who is expected to draw into the lineup on Thursday if Koepke is unable to play.<\/p>\n \n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n \t\t\tThe Warm-Up<\/p>\n Winnipeg Jets Game Days<\/p>\n On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.<\/p>\n \t\t\tSign up for The Warm-Up<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca<\/p>\n X and Bluesky: @WiebesWorld<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Ken Wiebe Ken Wiebe is a sports reporter for the Free Press, with an emphasis on the Winnipeg Jets. He has covered hockey and provided analysis in this market since 2000 for the Winnipeg Sun, The Athletic, Sportsnet.ca and TSN. Ken was a summer intern at the Free Press in 1999 and returned to the Free Press in a full-time capacity in September of 2023. Read more about Ken<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Ken produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber<\/a>.<\/p>\n Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.<\/p>\n \t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tANGELINA KATSANIS \/ THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
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\nMorgan Barron, Jets \u2013 Scored once and added a helper in 15:06 of ice time.
\nTanner Pearson, Jets \u2013 Scored his first goal of the season, added an assist.<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tANGELINA KATSANIS \/ THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
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