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 The score line may not reflect it, but the Jets goalie was under
siege in the first 20 minutes. However, as he did in his previous
five starts, the reigning NHL Player of the Week was on point for
each of Montreal's 20 shots in the opening frame.
"Of course, it wasn't the first period we wanted, but we survived,"
said Pavelec, who finished with 39 saves. "We scored the first goal,
it was huge for us, and then every period we got better and better.
We found a way to beat one of the best teams in the NHL right now,
so I think that we should feel pretty good about ourselves."
Despite the heroics, Pavelec deferred to his team when recalling the
game.
"I'm happy I can help the team to get the win, and that's all that
matters right now," he said. "So, really, I don't want to talk about
myself. It's a team sport, and we find a way."
The Jets (39-24-12) certainly found a way, with five different
players contributing goals. Defenseman Dustin Byfuglien, centers
Mark Scheifele and Jim Slater, right winger Blake Wheeler and left
winger Adam Lowry all managed to bulge the twine behind Montreal
goalie Dustin Tokarski, who made 17 saves in a losing effort.
The Canadiens (46-21-8) received goals from defenseman Andrei Markov
and Brendan Gallagher.
Pavelec registered his sixth straight win in a outing that left his
counterpart in awe.
"You guys saw it," Tokarski said. "It's a pretty epic performance by
him."
Pavelec had to be sharp through the first 10 minutes.
"We should have more that period," said center Tomas Plekanec, the
Canadiens' alternate captain. "I like the way we played in the
second period, we kept on putting pressure on net, we had some very
good scoring chances."
Despite the Canadiens' efforts, the Jets were the team to strike
first. At 12:33 of the opening period, Byfuglien unleashed a missile
from the top of the circle that trickled over the goal line behind
Tokarski. Byfuglien's 16th of the season came on the Jets' fifth
shot of the game.
Winnipeg added to its lead with 6:05 gone in the second period.
Montreal produced a rare defensive breakdown, allowing for
defenseman Tyler Myers to pick up the puck. Myers found Scheifele
wide open in front of the net for his 14th of the season.
The Canadiens cut the deficit in half 41 seconds later when Markov
hit a floater from the point that fooled Pavelec.
The Jets had the answer 2 1/2 minutes later as right winger Lee
Stempniak found Slater at the side of the net for his third of the
season. The goal was reviewed as the puck went off Slater's skate
and in, but it was judged to be good. Slater recorded his third of
the season and gave the Jets markers on back-to-back shots.
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"We put some big goals on board at the right time. It was big,"
Slater said. "Coming back after they scored to get that next one was
huge for us. We were just rolling."
Wheeler put the Jets up by three after burying a cross-ice feed from
Scheifele. The goal was Wheeler's 24th, tying him for the team lead
with left winger Andrew Ladd and injured center Bryan Little.
Gallagher's 23rd pulled the Canadiens within 4-2 with under 10
minutes left in the third, but Lowry answered almost immediately
with his 10th of the season to restore the Jets' three-goal cushion.
"It wasn't like we were discouraged or anything, we knew we were
playing a team that was going work hard and going to make it tough
in front," Gallagher said. "We were able to create some scoring
chances, but there's a difference between creating them and putting
them in."
The Canadiens finished 0-for-4 on the power play.
"The power play has to be better, it could have changed the course
of this night," Gallagher said. "We had enough power plays to take
advantage and capitalize, and we felt our game plan was fine. We
just didn't execute it."
NOTES: The Jets continue to be without the services of C Bryan
Little (upper body) and C Mathieu Perreault (lower body). Winnipeg D
Dustin Byfuglien returned after a nine-game layoff caused by an
upper-body injury. ... Montreal D Tom Gilbert (upper body) missed
his second game. ... RW Drew Stafford extended his point streak to
eight games after recording an assist. He has four goals and six
assists in that time and owns the longest active streak in the NHL
at the moment. ... Winnipeg G Ondrej Pavelec was selected the NHL's
first star for last week, when he posted three wins in three starts,
including a 28-save shutout. ... Montreal RW Brendan Gallagher
played in his 200th NHL game. ... The Canadiens reached the
100-point plateau for the 18th time in team history on March 24. It
is the first time Montreal hit that level in back-to-back seasons
since 1987-88 and 1988-89.
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