"I'm just setting a pick for [Laine]," Stastny said after the Jets' 3-0 win against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. "I take my ice. Because I stop and I hold my ground, it's just a good hockey play."
It started when Stastny got the puck from defenseman Dustin Byfuglien on the left-wing half-wall. He was coming up the wall and cut toward the top of the circle, then passed to Laine, who was coming down from the left point, and immediately turned toward the net.
At that moment, Stastny, who stayed in his lane, bumped into Rangers defenseman John Gilmour, whose job was to defend Laine. Stastny didn't push forward; instead, he let his momentum take him gliding a few feet.
"He didn't step into the guy, didn't interfere with him, so he doesn't take a penalty," Jets coach Paul Maurice said. "It's a clean play."
Laine, with the puck, followed Stastny into the circle. With Gilmour tied up, he had time and space to get his shot off from the face-off dot. He didn't miss.
"It's just an extra half-second that he gives us," Laine said, "and that's enough on those plays."
Stastny and his linemates, Laine and Nikolaj Ehlers, have combined for 19 points (10 goals, nine assists) in four games since the trade. Stastny has five points (two goals, three assists), Laine has 10, including seven goals, and Ehlers has four (one goal, three assists).