Friday was a heavyweight-style matchup that saw the Jets tie the game twice between the second and third periods but ultimately could not overcome the Magicians’ offensive attack. Saturday was quite the opposite; the Jets seemingly had the puck for all of the third period and exploded for four goals en route to a solid 6-3 victory. In an upcoming off-week, the split series was a big triumph for the Jets.
Friday, 10/8: L, 3-5
Friday night’s game saw the Magicians open the scoring, only for the Jets to tie, fall, then tie the game again in the third before Minnesota pulled away. MN started the scoring in the first with a power-play goal, but Cy LeClerc (6) received a perfect blue line to blue line saucer pass from Jonah Aegerter to send him in on a breakaway. LeClerc did the rest, going forehand-backhand and scoring while falling to notch it up at one. MN went up again early in the third, but Jan Lasak (5) made it a deadlock with a sizzling short-side snipe two and a half minutes later. The Jets stayed persistent in the attacking zone and, with a worn-down Magicians line, took advantage. Lasak, like an open receiver downfield, waited patiently at the back door before the puck got to the point, and William Gustavsson put it on a tee for Lasak, who perfectly placed a snapshot under the bar.
The Jets could not capitalize on the momentum swing, as the Magicians scored three consecutive goals to go up 5-2 late in the final period. It was not all for naught, though; Ethan Begg (1) scored his first goal of the year on a heavy slapshot off an attacking end draw with 21 seconds left to record the game’s final points. Michael D’Orazio put in a strong outing in net, stopping 30 of the 34 shots he saw. Janesville sent 28 to the Minnesota net in the 3-5 loss.
Saturday, 10/9: W, 6-3
Saturday night’s contest was one to watch. The opening frame saw no scoring, even with two high-powered offenses and shots totaling 28 (18 JNE, 12 MNM). The rest of the game accounted for the lack of scoring in the first 20 minutes; the middle frame featured two goals apiece from both teams and set up a fun third period. Jonah Aegerter (2) started the party for Janesville on an incredible effort play. After sending a shot high and wide off the glass, Aegerter corraled his rebound and threw the puck in from almost the icing line for a power-play goal. The Magicians got one back to tie it, but Will Troutwine (2), after a short game of whack-a-puck around the crease, stepped into a shot from the slot and put it by Minnesota’s goaltender to put the Jets back on top. The period finished with a goal from MNM with 40 seconds left to enter the third with a 2-2 tie.
Period three was where the Jets poured it on, starting with Keaton Peters (1) recording the first goal of his junior hockey career on a baseball-style swing and a drive on a rebound in the air that gave Janesville the lead. The Jets didn’t look back from there. After some perfect passing around the zone on a power play, William Gustavsson (3) deflected a slapshot off the stick of Grayden Daul less than a minute later. Goal number five featured some more tic-tac-toe passing from Lasak and Gustavsson to a wide-open Cy LeClerc (7) at the back door, who tapped in for birdie and gave the Jets a commanding three-goal lead. Minnesota mustered up one more goal, but Lasak deposited an empty-netter to cap off the six-goal outing and get the 6-3 win. Janesville’s offense had everything working; between crisp passing, clean zone entries, and odd-man rushes, the Jets came to play in the rubber match. Add on a 28/31 night from goaltender Owen Millward, and you’ve got a Saturday night dub.
The Jets get this upcoming weekend off to enjoy some home cooking and get ready for the last trip to Minnesota until March, where they will take on the Wilderness.
