Getting back up to speed

WINNIPEG MB -Less than 24 hours after returning to Winnipeg from Helsinki, the Winnipeg Jets got back to practice at Bell MTS Iceplex on Sunday morning. Paul Maurice and his coaching staff put together a high tempo 50-minute skate that included a ten minute 3-on-3 scrimmage.

"A little different structure to get them back on Winnipeg time," said Paul Maurice. "We wanted to get them into a workout so we have them off-ice and on-ice today and then they'll try get in their sleep time today and tomorrow and then back to work."
Most of the players that spoke after practice on Sunday admitted they were still not up to full speed yet after the eight-hour flight on Saturday. Much like their schedule when they got to Europe, the Jets will have a significant "break" between games - not playing until Friday at Bell MTS Place against the Colorado Avalanche.
"Two games in twelve days in an NHL season is tough," said Blake Wheeler. "We finally got into a rhythm after the Toronto game (last Saturday night). So you have to halt the brakes a little bit so that's a little bit frustrating but you deal with it the best you can and we'll be gearing up for Friday."

One of the many positives of the Global Series was Patrik Laine's game. The young sniper picked up some much needed confidence following his trip home.
"I wasn't thinking about the way I was playing when I went there (Helsinki), it was fun and exciting to go there," said Laine. "But now I feel confident and it's fun to be here and it's good to have a couple of days off."
Laine played both games at Hartwall Arena with Adam Lowry and Brandon Tanev and seemed to be more comfortable. The trio remained together for practice on Sunday and Maurice likes what they bring as a line. As for the other lines, it doesn't sound like many changes will be made for Friday's game.
"I liked (Patrik's) game," said Maurice. "At some point I'd like for him to play with different styles of centremen but I want to make sure we get that. I liked Nik Ehlers where he's at. I like the (Kyle) Connor (Bryan) Little chemistry. The lines I had structured at the start of the year in my mind are the right ones but they won't be over 82 (games). You are going to make adjustments and change and at some point, it may come back to that (the original lines). The Detroit game was very good, a big chunk of the Toronto game was very good. There are more players right now in our last four in my mind playing well and going then we had in the four prior to it so we will leave it for now."

Here are the line rushes from Sunday's skate:
Ehlers-Scheifele-Wheeler
Connor-Little-Perreault
Tanev-Lowry-Laine
Petan-Copp-Roslovic
Lemieux
Morrissey-Trouba
Chiarot-Byfuglien
Morrow-Myers
Kulikov
Hellebuyck
Brossoit
ICE CHIPS
Laine scored four goals over the two games in Finland, including the hat trick on the Thursday. But it was his lone tally on Friday that he sniped past Roberto Luongo that really got his teammates attention.
"That's probably one of the best shots I've ever seen live," said Adam Lowry. "I think a lot of us were sitting on the bench in awe just at the release and where he was able to put it from that angle."