Jets get back to work

WINNIPEG – After watching his team close out their four-game homestand with a 4-2 win over the New York Islanders on Tuesday, Winnipeg Jets head coach Rick Bowness rewarded his players with two full days off.

The All-Star/player break is on the horizon, but the Jets had played eight games in 15 days. Today, the Jets returned to practice and were grateful for the time away from the rink.

“It’s nice. We had a really packed schedule, past couple of weeks were very tough,” said Namestnikov.

“It was nice to get a breather, kind of get a little bit of rest. It was needed.”

Not everyone took the full two days off as half the team returned to the ice yesterday for a light skills day and Bowness said that the guys that needed the full two days off, did just that. As for today, with the Jets facing Ottawa, Boston and Toronto on this road trip it was important to get back to business.

“Today was a workday. Get back at it. Pushed the pedal down and make it physical, put them in game situations,” said Bowness.

“It’s going to be a tough road trip starting tomorrow afternoon in Ottawa, we wanted to make it a tougher practice.”

Once again, the Jets skated without leading scorer Mark Scheifele who remains on IR with a lower body injury retroactive to January 12. Bowness said that Scheifele will not play against the Senators Saturday afternoon.

“We’re going to re-evaluate him on Monday. He’s making progress with this thing. Clearly its gone on longer than we originally thought, so that’s fine,” said Bowness.

“It’s all part of it. So, we’ll see where he is Monday.”

Scheifele has 41 points (14G, 27A) in 41 games will travel with the Jets on their three-game road trip. Monday, the Bruins will be the opponent and the trip will wrap in Toronto on Wednesday. The 28-year-old has not skated since he was injured on January 11 against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Winnipeg will put a couple of impressive streaks on the line tomorrow afternoon. They have surrendered three goals or fewer in a franchise record 33 games and on top of that, they have only allowed two goals or less in 13 straight contests.

“We’re obviously aware of the records and stuff like that but when you’re playing its more just about winning the games and playing the right way,” said Namestnikov.

“We don’t really think about that (the streaks) during the game.”

Thanks in part to the Jets stingy defensive performances, Connor Hellebuyck has been mentioned as a front runner for the Vezina Trophy and possibly aa Hart Trophy candidate. The Jets remain the only team in the NHL that hasn’t given up 100 goals against this season, which puts Hellebuyck and Laurent Brossoit in the driver’s seat for the William M. Jennings Trophy (award given to goalies on team allowing fewest goals).

“It’s still a long season. We have to keep being focused on playing the right way,” said Namestnikov.

“Not to get ahead of ourselves. We just have to keep playing our game and see what happens.”