Pionk feels fine after hit against Colorado, focused on strong finish

WINNIPEG - It's safe to say Neal Pionk is taking the visor cut on his nose in stride.
"I didn't know my nose could get any bigger," he laughed following Tuesday's skate at Canada Life Centre. "But no, it feels fine."
The cut is the result of a hit from Colorado's Nicolas Aube-Kubel in Sunday's 4-1 Winnipeg Jets win over the Avalanche.
It was a heavy hit that sent Pionk face first into the boards, and needing some attention after getting to the bench under his own power.
Still, he doesn't hold any ill will toward Aube-Kubel for it.
"I knew he was coming, I saw him the whole time. I turned my back to protect the puck a little bit so, Pionk said. "I honestly didn't think he was going to finish his check. I was fine with it. I just didn't assume it, so a little bit is on me but it's part of the game."

The hit might have actually been a turning point in the game, as Pionk exchanged words with Aube-Kubel on his next shift. Brenden Dillon also took a couple runs at the Avalanche forward, though none connected.
"Guys have your back. And I knew that about this group," said Pionk. "It's good to see and it pulled out the competitive side of everybody."

That feeling, the chip-on-your-shoulder mentality, is something Pionk feels the team needed more of this season.
It's certainly not easy to do. Bringing that every night, especially during a 16-game month of March, is taxing, but Pionk says it's not an excuse as every team is doing something similar.
With the Jets on the outside of the playoff picture for the first time since Pionk came to Winnipeg, he knows this summer will be about reflection and finding a way to come to camp with a different mindset.
The 26-year-old has three goals this season and 34 points, 11 shy of the career-high 45 he put up in 2019-20. He battled his way back from a concussion earlier in the season, and still isn't 100 percent healed from the injury that prevented him from practicing or taking morning skates through the month of March.
Again, Pionk says there are no excuses.
"I look at myself, I look at my game as disappointing and under achieving," Pionk said. "We have a heck of a roster. We have world class players. Come in with a different mindset, a better attitude, and get started off on the right foot."

Jets interim head coach Dave Lowry sees Pionk's perspective as a player, one of many, taking ownership for where the team is at.
"We're not going to run and hide from this," said Lowry. "We know that we're going to have to be better. The biggest thing is it has to start within, and it has to start with self-reflection and individuals taking ownership of where we are."
A good comparison between what the Jets are going through, and what could happen next season, might be the Calgary Flames.
Last season, the Flames finished 26-27-3, fifth in the Scotia North Division, and outside of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They didn't blow up the core group of players, and came back this season with something to prove.
Now they're 49-20-10 and sitting in top spot in the Pacific Division.
"I've played under Darryl (Sutter, Calgary's head coach), I've worked under Darryl, I know that that is one of his demands," said Lowry. "Sometimes it takes time to get everything in place. They seem to be working, they seem to understand there's a certain way to play. You're still going to get your points, you're still going to score your goals, but there's a certain way to play to win hockey games."
There are three games to go in Winnipeg's 2021-22 season, and while this campaign wasn't close to what Pionk had hoped, he knows a full reset over the summer will be an opportunity for everyone to come back to camp with something to prove.
"I don't think I played as best as I could all year," said Pionk. "That's where it starts for me. I think if everyone goes into the summer and does that self-evaluation and we all come back, it'll be a lot better."