Music: {allcanada} Thin on defense, Jets find way past Bruins

Friday, December 19, 2014

{allcanada} Thin on defense, Jets find way past Bruins

Christmas - Michael Bublé / Elf (2003) / Scrooged

WINNIPEG -- Defense has carried the Winnipeg Jets this season, and even a mangled blue line could not stop them in a 2-1 win against the Boston Bruins on Friday.

Evander Kane and Dustin Byfuglien scored for the Jets (17-10-6), and goalie Michael Hutchinson, who began his pro career in the Boston organization, made 30 saves for Winnipeg. Hutchinson fended off several in-close scoring chances in making 16 third-period saves.

Jets coach Paul Maurice has stressed a commitment to defensive structure that has paid off in his first full season in Winnipeg. Its 2.25 goals-against per game began the game ranked fourth in the NHL.

However, the Jets are without four regular defenseman because of long-term injuries: Zach Bogosian, Toby Enstrom and Mark Stuart each is out with a lower-body injury, and Jacob Trouba has an upper-body injury.

The Jets have won two of three games in their four-game homestand that ends Sunday against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Torey Krug scored for the Bruins (16-14-3), and Tuukka Rask made 25 saves. The Bruins wrapped up a 1-1-1 road trip through the Central Division and have two wins in their past nine games (2-5-2).

Jets defenseman Jay Harrison had an assist in his first game since being acquired in a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday.

Rask failed to control Jets defenseman Grant Clitsome's point shot, and it set up a 1-0 lead for Winnipeg 3:12 into the game. Kane grabbed the rebound and stuffed it into the net for his sixth goal of the season. He has a goal in back-to-back games after starting the season with four goals in his first 21.

The Jets went on to control the rest of the first period and outshot the Bruins 16-4.

Boston scored on its sixth shot of the game early in the second period. Taking advantage of an ill-timed pinch inside the zone by the Jets, Krug finished an odd-man rush by Chris Kelly and Carl Soderberg by pushing a rebound under Hutchinson at 4:49. The goal, Krug's sixth, gave him three goals in his past seven games.

Byfuglien's eighth goal, on a wrist shot through four players in front of Rask, put Winnipeg up 2-1 with 23 seconds remaining in the second period. Since returning full-time to the Winnipeg blue line Dec. 5, Byfuglien has three goals and three assists.

Jack Frost (1998) / Wintersong - Sarah McLachlan / The Polar Express