The Canadiens were anything but gracious guests as they went on to rout the Jets in their first game in Winnipeg 5-1.
Here are game highlights. Notice that the background with the ice before the video starts playing still has the Philips Arena scoreboard in it. Weird.
It's the return of the Winnipeg Thrashers in so many way, but there are some other things that the Jets have that the Thrashers never did.
First of all, the fan support. At least for now. While it's easy to support a team on their first night, it will likely continue, at least for the first part of the season. That is something Atlanta fans didn't do. They really didn't come out to the games until November, December. Once college football season was over. The early season support could certainly help give the team a boost.
Unfortunately, the schedule makers have a tough opening road stretch for the Jets to start the season. 15 road games in October and November with 7 in a row. Including last night, there are just 9 home games in that same stretch. The Jets also have quite a number of back-to-back road games where they play one game one night and another game in another city the next. There are 10 series like that. Literally half of their road games are going to be played with the thought of trying to have guys ready for the game the next night, or having a tired team from playing the night before.
There are two massive home stretches, particularly in December. All games except two will be at home. That's 12 home games in one month. I'd say by the end of December, that's when we should know if the team is potentially playoff bound, because the games in 2012 are going to be rougher in regards to the schedule (minus the nice little 8 game homestand in late February, early March).
But the team needs to get back to new-Craig Ramsey style of play. Early 10-11 season Thrashers. That team knew how to handle puck and take shots. By late in the season, the Thrashers were back to being the Thrashers and that is what you saw last night in Winnipeg. A team that passes the puck around looking for the golden opportunity shot that rarely came. You also saw a lot of dumping the puck. I absolutely hate that because the team doesn't have the speed to do plays like that all the time and expect to get quality scoring chances.
The game on the ice last night was certainly the Thrashers in Jets uniforms. Dumping and chasing, with no chances. Taking too long setting up bad shots. They had a 5-3 powerplay for over a minute and didn't capitalize on it. They were sloppy with the puck, leading to at least the first two Canadien goals. That's Thrasher hockey.
The Jets really should have won that game. The Montreal defensive lines were off due to injury and shuffling. They were only playing with 3 of their regulars by the second period.
But, there is a silver lining. I've already mentioned the crowd support early on (which, Dear God I hope continues). But they have a Captain. A Captain that will be with the team for a few years. And that is something the Thrashers did not have, consistant team leadership on the ice. Once the Spirit took over, you had less of it off the ice too. But Winnipeg seems to have the tools in place for a run. It may not be this year, but it will be sooner than if they had stuck around in Atlanta under the same style of ownership with ASG.
Beyond the ownership, there was something on the ice I did like that Atlanta didn't do consistantly enough. They put a guy in the slot more times than Atlanta ever did. Hell, that's how Antropov scored the first Jets goal was by being front of the net. Screen the tender, be there for a loose puck, add some pressure deep in the zone. These are things I see starting to happen with this team that did not happen enough in Atlanta.
The city is also a hockey city. I have to think that will be a benefit to them in the end. Atlanta fans really didn't know the sport (for the most part). They just wanted fights and goals. But the mechanics, the basics, the penalties that should be penalties and those that are called but truly aren't, those are things Winnipeg fans know much better and so those are things the Jets will be held much more accountable for than the Thrashers ever were. Atlanta fans would boo a penalty no matter what. But Winnipeg fans seem to know when they committed one and just sorta take it if called.
Move past the first game. There were a lot of nerves against a storied opponent used to playing in these types of games (Winter Classic, Heritage Game, every Montreal home game). Stop dumping the puck, put the puck on net, keep that guy in the slot. Do this.
The Jets need to unleash the fury.
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