Jets Beat Blues 1-0: Now One Step Closer to the Playoffs

With another huge shutout win, the Winnipeg Jets took one more step toward the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs.

A second-period goal by Chris Thorburn, his seventh of the year, and another monster game by goaltender Ondrej Pavelec combined to give Winnipeg a thrilling 1-0 victory over the St. Louis Blues and after 80 games, the Jets are sitting in the cat bird’s seat when it comes to making the playoffs.

Ondrej Pavelec was the story.

Once again, the Jets played without defensemen Toby Enstrom (injured) and Dustin Byfuglien (suspension), but Enstrom is expected to skate today and Byfuglien will be back on Saturday for the Jets final game of the year against Calgary.

Even though Calgary and Los Angeles were playing late games on Tuesday night, the Jets victory puts the local side in a wonderful position. The Jets have 96 points after recording their third straight victory and with a record of 42-26-5, control their own destiny with two games left in the season: In Colorado on Thursday and at home with Calgary on Saturday. The Minnesota Wild beat the Chicago Blackhawks 2-1 on Tuesday night and clinched a playoff spot with 98 points.

For the first time in Pavelec’s career, he has recorded back-to-back shutouts – 2-0 in Minnesota on Monday and 1-0 in St. Louis on Tuesday — as he held the fort and gave the Jets a legitimate chance to reach the post-season for the first time since the franchise arrived in Winnipeg in 2011. It was also the first time the Jets have won in St. Louis since the team relocated from Atlanta.

The Jets outshot St. Louis 31-30, but it could be argued that the Blues had the better scoring chances. Regardless, Pavelec was a rock. David Backes and Jaden Schwartz each had two wonderful scoring opportunities while T.J. Oshie had a wide open cage in the second period, but Pavelec’s right leg shot across to deflect Oshie’s shot into the corner.

Adam Pardy battles with Ryan Reaves.

To be fair, the Blues thought they’d tied the game with 5:01 left in the second period when Steve Ott fed Paul Stastny, who scored on a backhand. However, the officials waved off the goal, calling Stastny for slashing the stick of Jets defenseman Tyler Myers. Jets fans love to sing the blues about the NHL’s officials, but the referees had Winnipeg’s back last night. The Jets were zero-for-four on the power play as Jake Allen was solid in the St. Louis net, while St. Louis was zero-for-two with the man advantage.

This game was a rough-and-tumble affair and, at times, it was downright mean. Ben Chiarot had five hits, Adam Lowry had four and Thorburn and Mark Stuart had three each. Backes had six hits for St. Louis while Patrik Berglund and Barret Jackman had four each. The Jets Mathieu Perreault tried to hit the Blues’ big Ryan Reaves, but Reaves saw it coming and nearly took Perreault’s head off.

Still, through it all, the Jets didn’t back down and tied a franchise record with their 20th road win of the season. With 46 wins, they are only one behind the franchise record set in 2006-07.

T.J. Oshie and Mark Stuart mix it up in front of Pavelec. This game was mean.

If this Jets team makes the playoffs, it’s hard to imagine anyone is going to want to play against them. They don’t give up a lot of goals and they play a tough forecheck and bring all hands back to clog up the scoring lanes on defense.

Winnipeg could all but guarantee themselves a playoff berth with a win on Thursday night in Denver. It’s the Jets and the Colorado Avalanche at 8 p.m. on TSN3.

Posted by: Scott Taylor for RiverCitySports.com