Illegal Curve Hockey: Winnipeg Jets

We said earlier today quite a bit could be revealed after all the games were played today and with the Kings and Preds both winning and with the Jets losing big they were unable to get their "must-win" to keep pace. This all but ends their playoff aspirations as they no-showed in this hockey game as a team.

Last Saturday the Jets were three points back with seven games to go and today they are still three points back with four games left so despite winning three straight games this past week the math has not changed for the NHL club of Winnipeg.

We will spend two hours on the Illegal Curve Hockey Show getting you set up for the game between the Jets and Flyers, take a look at what’s doing with the AHL club of Manitoba and touch on the prospects playing playoff hockey.

Guests:

Sara Orlesky to talk Jets at 11:18

Anthony SanFilippo to talk Flyers at 1:29:40

It was an absolute must-win game for the Winnipeg Jets against the Blues and they did in fact come away from St. Louis with a victory and two points. And given the recent history that was no small feat as, prior to tonight, the home team (including playoffs) had won 11 straight games as per Kelly Moore of 680 CJOB.

It was a must-win game and the Jets did just that as they rolled to a 6-2 victory over the Kraken in Winnipeg which included Mark Scheifele getting his 900th point. While they gained a critical two points the Jets will remain three points back of the wild card spot as they will have 80 points but both the Predators and Kings play against each other this evening which means one of them will be at 83 points.

The Jets knew they were going to be at least three points back if they won this game given the two teams ahead of them (Nashville and San Jose) were three points ahead of them and were playing each other. A loss meant they would have been five back with just six games to go. Which made this a must-win game in Columbus. And courtesy of Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor and Connor Hellebuyck that's just what they did picking up a clean two points and ending the four-game road trip with a 3-1-0 record.

Since our last Saturday show the Jets looked like they were going to go on a run with a big win over the top-ranked Avalanche and then squeaking out an OT victory over the Hawks to get within a point of the wild card spot. But a loss to the Stars combined with teams around them winning, has them three points back with seven games to go.

We will spend two hours on the Illegal Curve Hockey Show getting you set up for the game between the Jets and Blue Jackets which will wrap up the four-game road trip, discussing all things relevant to the NHL club of Winnipeg, take a look at what's doing with the AHL club of Manitoba and touch on the prospects playing playoff hockey.

Guests:

Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press at 27:27

Aaron Portzline of The Athletic Columbus at 1:21:09

It was a costly loss for the team searching for points in an attempted playoff bid as the Stars shutout the Jets 3-0 in Dallas. Especially when you consider teams they were in the race with or chasing won last night and are winning again this evening.

The Jets win 4-3 in OT as 55 gets it to 81 who makes no mistake. The victory leapfrogs them over the Kraken (who lost tonight) and the Sharks (who have two games in hand) hitting the 76 point mark, which ties them with the Kings and puts them just one point back of the wild card spot. That is just wild given where this franchise was not that long ago.

There is no way anyone expected the Jets to be just three points back of a wild card spot with nine games to go, but that’s exactly where they find themselves after opening a four-game road trip with a big 4-2 win over the NHL-leading Avalanche in Colorado.

The Jets split their two games at home defeating the Golden Knights before losing to the Avalanche. They'll head to Denver to conclude their home-and-home set with the Avs which kicks off four games on the road for Winnipeg which will basically determine if they can make a playoff push or not. Although even that may be generous as they have a number of teams they'll have to leapfrog.

We also spoke about Morgan Barron's entering concussion protocol, opportunity for Ford and Zhilkin who were recalled from the Moose, number of games Eric Comrie gets down the stretch, which player has most to prove in the final ten games. We also covered the Jets prospects in the WHL, OHL and NCAA playoffs.

We start off your Saturday with two hours of hockey talk on the Illegal Curve Hockey Show.

Guests:

Dan Robertson (TSN Jets play-by-play voice) at 25:39

Meghan Angley (Avs reporter for Guerilla Sports) at 1:25:24