Wheeler Sparks Win

The Winnipeg Jets got back into the win column Thursday night beating the Buffalo Sabres 4-1 at MTS Centre.

The Jets were happy to welcome back Blake Wheeler. Wheeler showed no ill effects after taking a puck to the neck two games ago versus the New Jersey Devils. His speed, hands and creativity sparked a tremendous first period as the Jets outshot their opponents 19-10.

"Before he left we were playing very well together you can tell in the first period alone that we were a whole different line" commented Bryan Little about having Wheeler back on the top unit.

Despite the Jet's recent struggles they came into Thursday's game with 44 goals in the first period which puts them tied for fourth in league with Toronto.

They added to those first period totals converting one of their 19 shots at the 11:34 mark when Andrew Ladd tipped in his 16th goal of the season from Ron Hainsey and Kyle Wellwood.

The Sabres came out of the 1st period intermission quickly tying the game up on their first shot of the frame when Drew Stafford snapped his 8th of the season past a sprawling Pavelec at 4:17 on a Buffalo odd man rush.

It looked like all the Jet's hard work in the first had been squandered, but Winnipeg's long lost power play showed up and accounted for their next two goals scored by Tobias Enstrom and Tim Stapleton.

Head coach Claude Noel was very happy to see his special teams contribute to the win. "I thought our power play was good in the fact it went 2-4 which we haven't seen any production in the past five games."

Nik Antropov ended his thirteen game goal scoring drought when he put in the decisive fourth goal of the game at 18:40 sealing the deal for the Jets.

Wheeler along with Winnipeg's power play were the difference helping the Jets move to 22-20-5 on the season, three points back of the Florida Panthers who hold down eighth place in the National Hockey League's Eastern Conference. Winnipeg will play Florida on Saturday at MTS Centre.

Game Notes
- The Sabres came into Thursday night's contest having lost 10 straight games on the road.

- The Jets are 0-7 on the second game of back-to-backs. But they are 7-0 on opponents second game of back-to-backs. The Sabres traveled into Winnipeg Thursday night after losing 6-2 the night before in Chicago.

- Both previous games between these two teams went to OT. Buffalo won the first back on November 8th 6-5 and the Jets won just recently 2-1 on January 7th.

- Kyle Wellwood's two assists Thursday night helped the eight-year NHL veteran reach 200 points in his career.

- Tobias Enstrom's second period power play goal gives him three goals in his last three games. This is his first goal scoring streak of his career. He now has five points (3G, 2A) in his last six contests.

- Winnipeg's first period shot total of 19 ties the team's season high set back on December 9th when they sent 19 shots on the Carolina Hurricanes net during that game's first period. The franchise record is 24 shots on net, that was recorded back on January 16th, 2003 against the Washington Capitals.

photo's courtesy Ray Peters