Pre-Game Notes: Game 35 — Jets @ Chill

Jan 21, 2016

By Mason Lyttle

Earning three of a possible four points in a home-and-home series against the Coulee Region Chill, the Jets overtook the Springfield Jr. Blues to place third in the Midwest Division at the time of the standings freeze to fill out rosters for the 2016 NAHL Top Prospects Tournament presented by Easton. The Jets will send a total of four players to Plymouth, Michigan to compete in next month’s tournament. Three will represent the Midwest Division, and one will join the roster of the East Division, who with just four teams, has an interesting makeup.

This Saturday Janesville enjoys a rare one-game weekend as they travel to La Crosse to play Coulee Region for the seventh of 12 editions of the Battle of Wisconsin this season.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Changes on the blue line: Last Saturday’s 4-3 overtime loss in La Crosse marked just the second time in six games versus Coulee that Janesville had surrendered more than two goals. The Chill shut out the Jets 5-0 on January 2nd in Janesville, but since then, Janesville has acquired physical defenseman Pat Gazzillo, whom Jets fans well recall as a member of the Soo Eagles last season, and has seen captain Alex Smith return from his hand injury.

Shot in the arm: Newcomer Dawson DiPietro, a recent add from the Austin Bruins, continued his multi-point game streak with a five-point weekend, instantly tying Adam Winborg, Jake Bresser, and Martin Sundberg for the series scoring lead versus Coulee. DiPietro’s three-point night on Friday sent Jets fans scrambling for rosters to identify number nine in gold. With seven points in just four games as a Jet, DiPietro gives the club another scoring threat as it tries to boost its 2.88 goals per game.

Janesville North: Despite falling last Saturday just 48 seconds before the shootout, Janesville collected a point for its overtime loss, and has now collected at least one point in 18 of its last 20 contests in La Crosse, dating back to the beginning of the 2011-2012 season. Further, the Jets scored three or more goals in 19 of those 20 games.

Your turn: Janesville has seen its game-winning goal come off of a different stick in each of its last eight victories, dating back to November. Peter Bates, whose assist in Saturday’s loss extends his point streak to three games, scored the most recent game-winner on Friday. Behind him are Cullen Munson, Jake Bresser, Blake Wareham, Roberts Smits, Andrew Roye, Taylor Fernandez, and Adam Winborg. Fernandez and Martin Sundberg are tied for the team lead with three game-winning goals each.

IN THE STANDINGS

TEAM

GP

W

L

OTL

PTS

Fairbanks

36

28

5

3

59

MN Wilderness

37

24

10

3

51

Janesville

34

20

11

3

43

Springfield

36

19

13

4

42

Coulee Region

33

15

18

0

30

Kenai River

36

2

33

1

5