He didn't make any saves, but you know if he had been asked to play goalie for a spell, Jenner would have done that too. That's just the guy he is.
Remember, before the season started, Jenner is someone who was sold on playing on the wing this year, but in recent games, he has moved back to center in a pinch for a team that needs to solidify the middle of the ice. He's done that job without blinking and the offense is still coming, too, as Jenner has a 5-4-9 line in the last 11 games. With eight goals this year in 25 games, he's nearing his total of 11 in 70 games a year ago.
"He has played really well this year," Tortorella said. "He has been one of our most consistent players."
Let's also give Jenner credit for the quality of his goal, which showed a nifty bit of hands for someone more known for his straightforward game and work around the net at scoring those fabled greasy goals. In a game that felt destined to be scoreless forever, Jenner came in on the forecheck, drove defenseman Andrej Sekera into the boards, collected the puck, spun back toward the net, deked from his backhand to the forehand to lose Joel Kiviranta, then quickly snapped a shot past goalie Anton Khudobin.
"We know what Jens is," a clearly impressed Tortorella said. "His goal, you figure it's a typical Jens goal where he just jams it in, but he makes a really nice play on the defenseman that comes at him when he takes the puck out of the corner."
"Thats a great goal, I think," Oliver Bjorkstrand added.
Jenner, for his part, had a very Boone Jenner description of the goal.
"I was just trying to get in on the forecheck," he said. "I think the puck popped loose and I just tried to get it and once I got above the goal line, try to just get in a shooting position and try to get it on net. Luckily it found a way in."
Nah, it wasn't luck. It was a heck of a goal for a guy having a heck of a season.
