The Winnipeg Jets won their final game heading into the All-Star break and on Saturday night, won their first game coming out of the break.
Blake Wheeler had two goals and an assist while All-Star Josh Morrissey had a goal and an assist as the Jets whipped the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1 at Canada Life Centre.
It was a huge win for Winnipeg in what might have been a trap game against the last place team in the Central Division. The Jets hadn't played in 12 days and this one could have gone in any direction after the first period ended in a scoreless tie. But the Jets scored three times in the second period to put the game away.
With the victory, the Jets improved to 33-19-1 on the season, just three points behind the first-place Dallas Stars in the Central. Winnipeg has a game in hand on Dallas.
"Our game is predicated on being able to transition the puck fast and try to get our forwards moving," Wheeler said. "Obviously, when our team moves well, we can create some time and space, and that's where we can make some plays.
"We were certainly better than we were at the end of that stretch in January (1-3-0). The last two days of practice we had a lot of life, so you could sense we would come out with some jump tonight."
After the scoreless first period, Morrissey put the Jets on the board at 1:16 of the second with a beautiful backhanded shot that beat Petr Mrzak. Wheeler then scored his first of the night at 7:33 from Kyle Connor and Morrissey and the Mark Scheifele tallied his 32nd of the season from Wheeler and Nikolaj Ehlers at 12:09.
The Hawks got a goal from Kyle Johnson at 2:08 of the third, but Wheeler put the game on ice with an empty-netter at 19:35 of the third from Morgan Barron and Adam Lowry.
Wheeler, Morrissey and Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck were the three stars. The Hawks outshot the Jets 32-28, but Hellebuyck wasn't tested the way he often is in the Jets net.
"[Winnipeg] is a tough team," Chicago coach Luke Richardson said. "They're a very talented team offensively. The couple mistakes we made in the second period, they really capitalized on.
"I thought we had some good looks at the end, even 6-on-5, but Hellebuyck's a good goaltender and they play a real strong structure so we just couldn't get that next one in."
Jets head coach Rick Bowness was, once again, not entirely happy with the way his team played in the first period.
"We get out of that first period and, again, we're not happy with how we finished the period, so it was huge to get that goal to give us a boost and get us going again in the second," Bowness said. "Josh steps up again and makes the big play. It was a hell of a play and a great goal."
Hellwbuyck, one of the most confident players in the game, didn't think there was any problem after the Hawks made it 3-1.
"They might have got a little bit of momentum off their goal, but I don't think we took the foot off the gas," Hellebuyck said. "I mean, we did just have a long break and we're getting our legs under us. But I thought it was a good 60. They've got some good scorers over there. You've got to imagine they're going to push back at some point, so that was their push."
Josh Morrissey had the best stats line for the Jets. The Jets All-Star D-man and Norris Trophy candidate had a goal and an assist and was plus two with two shots on goal, three hits and three blocked shots in 22 minutes and six second of ice time.
The Jets play again on Tuesday night when the 30-18-5 Seattle Kraken visit Canada Life Centre, Game time is 7 p.m.
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