28 Jan 2025; Montreal, Quebec, Can; Winnipeg Jets Center Mark Scheifele (55) celebrates with his teammates at the bench its goal against the Montreal Canadiens during the second period at the Bell Center. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn images While a collision of the NHL’s two best teams weaves this weekend, Winnipeg Jet’s business has only to take care of when they continue a three-game road trip in the east against Boston Bruins on Thursday.
The Western Conference leading Jets has won four right after starting the current trip with a 4-1 Tuesday victory over the Montreal Canadiens and now turns attention to cope with a seasonal series by Bruins, which they trampled 8-1 back on Dec.
“We have just played easily, we have not tried to overcomplicate the game,” said Jets alternative captain Mark Scheifele. “We get pucks deep, we are a tough team when we play in the O-zone. We are doing pucks, we get the other team to defend, and (Tuesday) was a great example of that.”
Kyle Connor’s two goals led a five-point performance from Jet’s top line, as Scheifele also scored and Gabriel Viladi-who has points in each of the team’s last four-drug two assists.
Connor and Scheifele each have a team-leading 29 goals this season and move within one of reaching the 30-goal plateau for the seventh and fourth time in their career respectively.
“I have seen many good shooters, guys with quick editions, but he is in the top five for me with some of the best at shooting that puck,” said Jets coach Scott Arniel about Connor.
Scheifele is also two goals shy for binding Ilya Kovalchuk (328) for most people in Jets/Atlanta Thrashers -Franchise History, but he hopes to be able to involve the talent that surrounds him more.
“I would like to have a lot more assists right now. I would like (Connor) to have more (goals) than I am. I’m proud of my passing,” Scheifele said. “I think I have more goals than I help (28) right now, so I have to set him up for more in the future.”
A season of inconsistency continued Tuesday for Bruins, who had won back-to-back games and five of the last seven (5-1-1) before a 7-2 road loss to Buffalo Sabers.
The game showed a disturbing trend to interim coach Joe Sacco that must be corrected if they want to keep a playoffs. Buffalo responded to both goals – by Mason Lohrei and Captain Brad Marchand – in less than a minute.
“I didn’t like how we succeeded (the game),” Sacco said. “You will make mistakes … during a game, but that’s how we respond immediately to these mistakes. … a couple of goals we did they answer immediately.”
While the Bruins sat inside the playoffs as no. Their position is anything but sure.
“We are obviously desperate right now and we can’t afford to have games like this where we are not prepared,” Marchand said. “We need every point. (Buffalo is) a better team than their record shows. … you have to get ready to play and ready to compete harder than that.”
Boston played Tuesday without his three best defenders when Brandon Carlo (illness) joined Charlie McAvoy (Undisclosed injury) and Hampus Lindholm (lower body) from the set. McAvoy and Lindholm have returned to full team practice and, together with Carlo, participated in any Wednesday skates.
Sacco does not completely exclude anyone except forward Mark Kastelic (not revealed) from playing on Thursday.
“When a team is short -handed, it doesn’t help,” McAvoy said. “I’m happy to come back, and I know ‘Lindy’ is the same way. Whatever we can do to come back and help the team – we are in a place where every single game is important.”
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