Harkins, Svechnikov combine for six points in Jets win over Oilers

WINNIPEG - With the spots available up front on the Winnipeg Jets roster, the trio of Jansen Harkins, Evgeny Svechnikov, and Cole Perfetti certainly put their best foot forward on Wednesday night.
The line combined for eight points in a 5-1 preseason win over the Edmonton Oilers at Canada Life Centre.
"I think they worked real hard at their game," said head coach Paul Maurice. "For those guys, exhibition means a lot. Those are big games for those three guys. They've got something to show, something to prove."

Harkins scored twice and had an assist, giving him four points in two preseason games so far. Svechnikov tied the three-point effort put up by Harkins, and is feeling more and more comfortable as the days go on.

Especially the more he plays with Perfetti and Harkins.
"I think we just really feel each other," said Svechnikov, who is signed to a one-year deal with the Manitoba Moose but is in Jets camp on a tryout basis. "We have different things that we're good at, so I think we kind of have that chemistry going a little bit, which is fun to be part of."
That chemistry took all of 91 seconds to start clicking and Winnipeg's number 91 helped get the offence rolling. Perfetti's seam pass from the right corner set up Svechnikov in front. He couldn't capitalize, but Harkins was there to tap home the loose puck past Edmonton's Ilya Konovalov to put the Jets up 1-0.
"The fans are pretty electric and scoring goals is one of the best things you can do out there," said Harkins. "We've got a lot of young guys fighting for spots, a lot of good players. We've generally been a pretty veteran team the last few years so there's a couple spots right now everyone's really chasing for it."

Svechnikov had three of Winnipeg's 15 shots on goal in the opening period.
The 24-year-old Svechnikov would be rewarded in the second, as he deflected Logan Stanley's point shot past Konovalov just 2:22 into the period. Harkins picked up the secondary assist on the play, which made it 2-0 Jets.
It was reminiscent of Svechnikov's morning skate, where he seemed to be scoring at will on his fellow Russian, Mikhail Berdin.
"I wasn't even thinking about it going into the game but practice makes perfect, I guess. It's fun," said Svechnikov. " I'm just going to try and go to the net every time the puck goes to the D. Those things happen once you go to the net. Hope to continue that."

Winnipeg increased the lead to 3-0 with 12:51 left in the middle frame, as Mike Eyssimont's shot off the rush from the left wing went off Konovalov, then off the body of Jets forward Austin Poganski - who was driving the net up the middle lane.
Before the end of the period, Svechnikov and Harkins teamed up again. This time, Svechnikov's pass to the middle of the ice was just close enough that Harkins could tip it past Oilers defenceman Cody Ceci, giving Harkins a breakaway. Harkins made no mistake, ripping it top corner on Stuart Skinner - who had come on in relief of Konovalov halfway through the period.

"Just tried to chip it and obviously it worked out," Harkins said. "You kind of lose track of it there for a second. Like Svech said, we all kind of bring something a little different but I think we all kind of think pretty similar. That's when you find plays coming together quick like that. Kind of goes by in the flash but that's when you know things are clicking."
Connor Hellebuyck's preseason shutout bid came to an end with 1:13 left in the second, when Brad Malone's wrist shot from the right circle got by him. Still, the Jets were in front 4-1 after 40 minutes.
Kyle Connor rounded out the scoring with 10:52 left in regulation, as he took advantage of a Josh Morrissey point shot banking off the skate of Oilers defenceman Evan Bouchard. The puck shot across the ice to the right circle where Connor was waiting to one-time it into the empty net.
That was the only puck that beat Hellebuyck, who finished the night with 17 saves on 18 shots.

Now the Jets head out on the road for back-to-back preseason games in Edmonton and Vancouver. Maurice knows the Jets will face a much different Edmonton team on Saturday, after a young squad came to Winnipeg on this night - one that could include Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Zach Hyman.
"Those four or five players that aren't in their lineup tonight are going to change the way the game is played," said Maurice. "We're going to play reasonably young lineups again in both of these, regardless of the final score, to give all of them one more chance and hopefully we'll see heavier lineups by both."
It's also the time that Maurice will key in on the battle for those final forward spots.
"We started with some ideas of guys playing together and then I will pay more attention now, having seen them for a week of work," said Maurice. "It's going to be not easy calls I don't think but usually, almost always, it gets sorted out by the final exhibition game. You find that they usually separate themselves."