Chris Mason and Winnipeg Jets shutout Ottawa Senators in 2-0 win - NHL Update
Well that was unexpected.
The Winnipeg Jets managed to put their recent poor form behind them and shutout Canadian Rivals, the Ottawa Senators, in a 2-0 victory at the Scotiabank Place in Ottawa, Ontario, on Monday, January 17, 2012.
The Jets snapped a three game losing streak in an impressive fashion as they outshot the Senators, 35-25, and were positive throughout the match.
Winnipeg’s victory will likely boost the team’s confidence, which before had won just one of its previous six and moved to just three points behind the final Eastern Conference playoff spot.
Jets' record now stands at 21-19-5 with 47 points.
Goaltender, Chris Mason, was the hero with his perfect 25-saves performance as the Senators failed to score for the first time in the 2011-2012 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season.
"That says a lot about the game that we played", Mason said.
"I thought we've been looking for that game for the last couple of weeks. We're a fairly low-scoring team and it seems one or two breakdowns have cost us lately, and I thought tonight the guys just did a wonderful job and we were able to have a great third
period".
The Senators, who came into the game with a brilliant home record, were surprisingly lethargic and lost their first game in regulation time at home, which ended a winning run of four games, bringing their record down to 25-16-6, with 56 points.
Senators’ coach, Paul MacLean did not want to dwell a lot on the defeat and was already looking forward to the next game so that his side can regain the initiative.
"We're looking forward to it, it’s a great opportunity to get back and play. We're playing lots of games and we're going to get a chance to get right back in the saddle and get ready to go, and that's what we're going to do".
The Jets started off with a bang and scored when most fans were just getting comfortable in their seats.
Jim Slater beat Senators’ goaltender, Craig Anderson, with just 49 seconds gone in the first period to put Jets up.
Anderson would go on to make 33 saves during the game, but since the Senators' offence was unable to score, his efforts went all in vain.
Winnipeg built on their single goal lead in the second period at 6:48 with Tobias Enstrom releasing a powerful slap shot to beat Anderson and double Jets' advantage.
The Senators looked to finally wake up from their stupor in the third period and Mason’s goal came under attack.
Ottawa got close as the puck hit the bars twice, but thankfully for Jets' goaltender, the puck stayed out and the Jets held on for the win.
The Jets will next travel to New Jersey on Tuesday to face the Devils while the Senators will start a six-game road trip with a first stop in Toronto to face the Maple Leafs.
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