Jets Exhibition

Wasn't a bad game on Friday night between the F/M Jets and the Southern Minnesota Express. I was very surprised at how fast paced it was even from the very beginning. I did have to laugh though as both team wore their practice jerseys for this game and a lot of players on the Jets weren't wearing their right numbers and a few that were playing weren't even listed in the program we were given. Not that I can verify any of this as the Jets website still doesn't have a roster up. They play their first game on Wednesday morning but no roster is up...brilliant.
The one big change I did notice for the Jets is Dayn Belfour is not on the team. He is a goalie and the son of Eddie Belfour who was going to play for the Jets and attend Fargo North High School this year. Something must have changed but I don't know what because he is out and Mankato recruit Austin Lee is in. Lee started the game for the Jets and played very well, giving up just one goal in two full periods.
After hearing the NAHL is adopting a lot of U.S. Hockey's rules I was expecting a much more penalty filled game than I got. But it really wasn't that bad. The flow of the game reminded me a lot of high school, higher skilled, but still high school. The first period went by pretty quick, no one scored but there were a lot of decent chances. The Jets controlled most of the play except for their one power play in which they were able to put on some decent pressure once they got the puck in the zone, but that was the problem, they couldn't get the puck in the zone. Happened on the 2nd PP too, the Express played some good defense and the Jets couldn't figure it out at all.
The second period produced the games first goals. First one came at 3:21 of the period on a shorthanded play from Dusty Jackson of the Express. Robert Carr of the Jets couldn't handle a pass back to him from Andrew Harrison and Jackson picked it off and was off to the races, beating Lee high over the stick side that glanced off the corner of the bars before finding its way in.
The Express almost made it 2-0 a little later after a nice move by defenseman Robby Spaulding. Spaulding toe dragged past a rushing forward and ripped a low wrist shot through traffic but Lee was able to stick his leg out and deflect it away. Then about 12:00
The action was pretty even till the end of the period when the Jets tied it up. Rob Johnson took a cross ice pass from Tom Jensen above the circles and fired it into the open net before Express goalie Simen Paulgaard could get over.
The third period was relatively uneventful until the middle when the Jets took the lead on the power play. Finally the Jets get a good power play and it pays off. Jesse Echternach took a pass in the slot from Grant Larson and put it away for a 2-1 Jets lead. The Jets kept the pressure on and tried to take a two goal lead but some good saves by Paulgaard kept the Express in it.
Then began a very exciting last four minutes. The Express tied the game at two on a 2 on 2 rush up the ice by Logan Lathan and Danny Sinn. Lathan took a pass from Sinn, used the defenseman as a screen and put one past new goalie Elliot Okland on the short side.
Just 26 seconds later the Express took the lead. Jackson scored his second of the game beating Okland on the far side after a breakdown by the Jets D.
1:01 later the Jets tied it, Andrew Harrison took a loose puck right in front of the goal and popped up over Paulgaard. The game looked destined for overtime, but it was not to be.
Dustin Skinner fired a weak shot from just inside the circles that dribbled on toward goal and slid right through Okland's legs with just 16 seconds left. Final 4-3 Express.

It wasn't a bad game, but Okland looked very shaky in goal and I wouldn't be surprised if Lee ends up the Jets primary goalie very soon.

The Jets also lost the next night to North Iowa 6-3 to finish the preseason 0-2.
They begin the season on Wednesday at the NAHL Showcase in Blaine.
Hopefully the Jets site will have a roster up by then.

Hockey Season is almost here

For me at least.
I'll be going to the F/M Jets exhibition game on Friday and then maybe on Saturday as well.
Can't wait, live hockey at last.
One thing that does suck, the Jets website doesn't have a roster up yet which is strange if they are playing a game in less than a week. Maybe these games are going to have cuts after them, who knows.