The Check In - 03.24.26 - Golden Knights at Jets

The Jets come home for a clash with the Golden Knights at Canada Life Centre. Sara and Jamie will look at Winnipeg's chances to make the playoffs and welcome Golden Knights host Daren Millard to the show.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 1:36

Oh, that's it, boys.

SPEAKER_03 1:42

Good job tonight. I want to uh just say big thanks for picking me up yesterday. Really appreciate it.

SPEAKER_05 1:46

Love you guys. Keep the same rolling.

SPEAKER_07 1:51

Aww.

SPEAKER_06 1:52

You know what? You're such a mum.

SPEAKER_07 1:54

That is just it was a nice moment.

SPEAKER_06 1:57

What is he talking about there?

SPEAKER_07 1:58

Because he got benched in the first period.

SPEAKER_06 2:01

In Pittsburgh.

SPEAKER_07 2:02

Yes.

SPEAKER_06 2:02

And so what do good teams do in situations like that? What do good teammates do? Yeah. Right. So clearly.

SPEAKER_07 2:10

Help you along.

SPEAKER_06 2:11

That's still a good thing. Right. And he and Scott O'Neill said today he's been one of their best defensemen in the world the last five years plus overtime.

SPEAKER_07 2:19

There you go. That's what you like to see. I'm Sara Lesky. He's Jamie Thomas. You are watching the check, and we're so happy to have so many of you here as we get you set for today, game 71. Is that where we decided? Game 71. Uh Jets are home for their next two games. Vegas Golden Knights here in town tonight. And then the Colorado Avalanche. So first of two games in a row against Colorado. Um but before we get to that.

SPEAKER_06 2:46

Who made the schedule?

SPEAKER_07 2:47

Oh, that's actually a great question. Do you think that it's just automated now? It's just done by AI or programs.

SPEAKER_06 2:54

You know the best person we should have asked that question to after John Shannon came on our show on Sunday. I had like a million more questions.

SPEAKER_07 3:00

We'll have to text him and find out. We love to see you all in the chat already. So that's great. We want to hear from you as well. Well, welcome back to a regular go time for check-in. Don't miss the 7 a.m. Well, yeah, neither do we, to be honest. I'm very happy to see so many of you in here. But let's get started. Before we get going, uh, who's gonna be on our show today?

SPEAKER_06 3:22

Well, you may have heard of them.

SPEAKER_07 3:24

Yep.

SPEAKER_06 3:25

Joe Pescucci, my old boss. Okay, Darren Millard. Jess TV alumni.

SPEAKER_07 3:32

Yes, sir. That's his number one title. Uh we're gonna have them both on together. You might remember that we've had them on before talking about the good old uh sports line days. So we're gonna do that again.

SPEAKER_06 3:44

Yeah, looking forward to we're gonna have an interesting debate about professionalism and embarrassment.

SPEAKER_07 3:50

Okay. Um, quick thoughts on that three-game road trip that the Jets just came off on because they find themselves going into tonight's game five games back. That's like a still. Still, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_06 4:04

Uh okay, so the three-game road trip that happened in three and a half days again. Yeah, that's what I just went by quick. That that game on Sunday was weird. The 11 o'clock start here was bizarre. And I was talking to Paul Edmonds because it's a noon start at Eastern Standard Time.

SPEAKER_07 4:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 4:17

At MSG, he said it was just bizarre being at the ring at 9 a.m. in the morning.

SPEAKER_07 4:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 4:21

But overall thoughts. Obviously, missed chances a game against Boston, Earthham.

SPEAKER_00 4:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 4:28

Pittsburgh, great comeback, slow start. And then New York just stayed with it the whole time. And most importantly, two important penalty kills in overtime in Pittsburgh and New York. So there's a lot of things to turn the corner here. And great goaltending.

SPEAKER_07 4:43

Yes.

SPEAKER_06 4:43

Outside the Boston game.

SPEAKER_07 4:44

Alright, we will get to uh all that. We'll talk a little bit more about that. Um, I'm seeing people in the chat, and yes, we we really should have started off uh this way it was a heartbreaking story. Uh we haven't had the opportunity. News came after we got off um on Sunday's show that word really started to spread around and break the absolutely heartbreaking, tragic news out of Minnesota. Um, that the great dress Jesse Pierce, who was a guest so many times on Checkin' For us, helping us set up the Minnesota Wilds.

SPEAKER_06 5:15

And like tons of shows across the city.

SPEAKER_07 5:17

100%. You saw her on Winnipeg Sports Talk all the time with Huss as well, that she and her three children tragically died in a house fire over the weekend. Um, just the she is such a great light. There's so many amazing stories that have been told about her um online now. Really encourage people to check it out, but absolutely, absolutely heartbreaking. Uh it was yeah, when you heard the news.

SPEAKER_06 5:46

Yeah, I remember so when I first started traveling with this team, uh I remember how many years ago with your youngest kid. I remember just being in the dressing room and Jesse came in with her baby. Yes, yeah, carrying around the baby doing postcam. Like, this is wild. First off, amazing that Minnesota opened the door to that.

SPEAKER_07 6:03

100%.

SPEAKER_06 6:04

And then the story's coming up with Mikhail Granland, was it? Yes, yeah, that they just became good buddies. I thought that was that's fantastic. But every time Jesse came on, it was about energy. Like you, uh, you had to elevate your energy because of and her positivity. I'm very sad for her husband, I'm very sad for her family. But uh that that is such a and I'm really sad for Minnesota Wild fans, I'm sad for Jets fans. Like it's it's horrible, it's a horrible tragedy. So and again, the hockey community has done a great job pulling together for Jesse's husband and uh family.

SPEAKER_07 6:33

Yeah, there is a GoFundMe that's going on right now um to help with funeral expenses and expenses for him um going forward as well. But heartfelt condolences and to all those in Minnesota friends and colleagues, because she was certainly she was loved by everybody. What a remarkable mark. Yeah, um, she left.

SPEAKER_06 6:51

Yeah, it's um uh unfortunately we have to talk about that part of it, but uh so lot of thoughts and for Jesse and her family and her husband in particular. So, and especially the Minnesota Wild Organization.

SPEAKER_07 7:01

Yeah, absolutely. Um, okay, the the game that's going on, uh the game that's going on today, they had the morning skate just a little while ago. The Jets had the day off yesterday. They had full morning skate today, saw a couple of yellow jerseys out there, which is great news. Nemesnikov and Nita Rider both out on the ice. Got Arneal joking afterwards that he was just overintroducing himself to them because this is the first time he's seen them out on the ice. There's still no timeline um for when they could be available, but a very positive sign to see. But this is what our projected lines are going into tonight's game against Vegas, if you remember. The the Jets and the Golden Knights have played one other time so far this season. Vegas with the win, and Vegas has certainly had success against the Winnipeg Jets when you look at it. Um, no surprises.

SPEAKER_06 7:54

No, especially that third line. Like we talked about that going ahead of the Rangers game. They had considerable time together against the Penguins, played very well, continued that play uh very well. But Gabe Villardi was a story outside of Eric Carmer going six games in a row winning. But Gabe Vellardi was unbelievable. And then of course they lose in the shootout on Saturday. They go back to their go back to Kyle Connor to start Kyle Casey scores an eventual shootout winner, and then Gabe Villardi finishes things off. But it was it was a great game that back, especially for them to have be playing that third game in three and a half days, for them to find the energy to get that important two points.

SPEAKER_07 8:29

Yeah, so this is the lines that we are expecting to see tonight against Vegas. You will notice that back in net is Connor Hallibuck. Uh, with the play of Eric Comray, you have seen a lot of discussion. I've already seen comments in of the chat here as well about people. Will it be um Eric Comrie in net? Will it be Connor Hallibuck? There was really no doubt about who it would be starting, but Scott O'Neill was asked about it by the Winnipeg Free Press's, can we? Because he was doing the work for all of you as to why it was that going back to Halibuck tonight.

SPEAKER_02 9:03

Scott, just lastly, I mean, you mentioned Eric Comrie's gonna give you reason to consider more work down the stretch, or how did you land on Heli for today?

SPEAKER_01 9:11

Just how did I land on Heli?

SPEAKER_02 9:12

Yeah, just number one guy.

SPEAKER_01 9:14

He's a pretty good goalie, and yeah, I think that he's you know, we're going against Vegas, a pretty good team. But going back to the other point, Comms will be he'll be getting in here. Like it's you know, he's every time he's stepped up, he's done a fantastic job for us and given us a chance to win. So um, yeah, I mean I was coming back to Helly here, you know, uh obviously against Vegas at home. So um, yeah, the goaltending, that's just if they gotta give us a chance to win every night, and they usually do. So comms is real good, and you know, as was Heli there. So we'll just you know move it into game to game, see where we are with and comms having an opportunity down the road here.

SPEAKER_06 9:48

I I don't see uh Connor Hellbuck not starting here for a while.

SPEAKER_07 9:53

Well he just said we'll see comms on the road.

SPEAKER_06 9:56

Yeah, yeah. So I think that was lead when to believe today, Thursday, Saturday, clearly Heli.

SPEAKER_07 10:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 10:04

Maybe Tuesday in Chicago.

SPEAKER_07 10:06

Chicago, I can see that as being a good one for Comray for sure. Yeah, or so no surprise, it it shouldn't be a surprise that Connor Halibuck is back, but it is great to know that um whether it be Halibuck, who, yes, his numbers have not been at the level that sometimes people want, or Eric Comray in that that you can have confidence about.

SPEAKER_06 10:27

Right, and considering that back on January 1st, that game in Toronto, like what a turnaround! Like, that was probably Eric Comerry's toughest day as a Winnipeg Jet since his return to the organization. Um, but the way he's bounced back into the white cage, little changes, you know what? Darren Mars' gonna join us here momentarily, but he's a goalie. Oh right, so he's got a lot of goal masks behind him. So we'll ask about the intricacies behind changing the color of the mask if that really plays anything into it.

SPEAKER_07 10:53

Uh, before that, though, why I had the chance to catch up with the captain Adam Lowry just a short while ago. And wouldn't you know Eric Comerry somehow figured into this? What Adam Humphrey for the next two games? When you look at everything that's going on right now in this Western conference and the fight for the wild card, what are the emotions like going into this next week?

SPEAKER_03 11:16

Um, yeah, it's a it's a stressful time for sure, but you know, I think we have confidence coming off the last game, and maybe we played fairly well at home. So um, hey, you can't look too far ahead, you have to make sure you you take care of the game in front of you, and that's kind of what we're focused on today tonight.

SPEAKER_07 11:35

Just look at the game in front of you. I know it's what you're always saying. I'm just I like I gotta I understand.

SPEAKER_03 11:41

I think like, you know, sometimes you're trying to 3D chest and seeing who needs to be who, and and you know, I I think sometimes that just brings more stress into the equation. Um, you know, yeah, as much as you we need to get help from other teams if we win the games in front of us, you know, we kind of can control our own destiny to a certain point. So um, yeah, sometimes you get uh ahead of yourself and you look at the schedule and you know what the outcome needs to be. But you know, I I I think we've done a pretty good job of just trying to take uh advantage of the game in front of us.

SPEAKER_07 12:14

Yeah, that was the question when you think about everything that's uh that you this group has been dealing with, how do you think this group has handled the emotionally stressing?

SPEAKER_03 12:22

Oh I got some friends behind me.

SPEAKER_07 12:23

Um They just want to join in.

SPEAKER_03 12:25

Yeah, we missed black. Um Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_07 12:30

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 12:31

Oh, and every comrade who is hot as a pistol in that white mask.

SPEAKER_07 12:36

It's the cage, I think. You know, it's just done everything.

SPEAKER_03 12:40

Um sorry, I forgot the question now.

SPEAKER_07 12:43

Just handling the emotions of all of it. The group is a ball.

SPEAKER_03 12:46

Yeah, well, I I think, you know, coming into the the last homestead, I think going into that anime game, you know, you we knew it was a big game and kind of fell right on our face. You sometimes when you know you put so much pressure on and wanting to perform well, you kind of take away from your ability to just go out there and play and do what we know we need to do. So I I think for the most part guys have done a good job of coming to the rink with a good attitude, you know, that optimism of It seems like Yeah, exactly. That optimism that you know we're gonna put our best foot forward and play a good game and the results will follow. So, you know, I I think that's what we tried to do uh in in the last little bit for sure.

SPEAKER_07 13:25

When you look at this Vegas team, I mean this is the team that this group has struggled with in going up against them. Vegas had their own struggles though this season. How do you look at this game tonight?

SPEAKER_03 13:35

Yeah, um You know, I I I think we're all a little surprised to see them struggling like they have with all the pieces they've added and you know, the personnel they have there. I think you know they're a real deep team, they've got a lot of different guys that can hurt you, you know, some great puck movers on the back end. Um yeah, for whatever reason, you know, we haven't had a lot of success against them. Um so you know, I I think it's just important. We we stay atop their speed, we we stay atop their skill. And you know, we're we play direct game. I think when our team's four-checking, we're fast, we're creating turnovers down below the goal line, you know, we're extending plays with good sticks and things like that. Um you know, the rest of our game follows. And against a team with as much skill as Vegas, it's important that those little details, you do a lot of them right, and they add up in the end.

SPEAKER_07 14:26

Appreciate the time.

SPEAKER_03 14:27

Thanks, Sarah.

SPEAKER_06 14:30

So anybody wondering if they're tight because they're trying to get these how important these games are. I think we got all the answers right there with three players. It seemed pretty relaxed.

SPEAKER_07 14:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 14:41

That's all based on the captain, obviously.

SPEAKER_07 14:42

Okay, we're in a good mood this morning.

SPEAKER_06 14:44

There was no flats in there.

SPEAKER_07 14:46

No, he was already off the ice. Okay. So many of you might remember that usually there is a Wade Clarity appearance as he slowly sneaks by behind the interview.

SPEAKER_06 14:56

So I'm not even listening to the interview.

SPEAKER_07 14:57

I was still I was still in the dressing room. Okay, and all of a sudden, Wade walks off the ice, and I look at him down the hall and I go, What? And he goes, Well, you it's our thing. You've already slowed today.

SPEAKER_06 15:11

Okay. So, anyways, he's got a schedule for the case.

SPEAKER_07 15:14

I'm sure he'll be back on Thursday. He doesn't want to miss more than one in a row. No, no.

SPEAKER_06 15:18

Uh Kenny's water ball, really, really good. Like it's about time that Weaver asked a question. That was a little bit earlier. Fantastic. You guys are bringing your A game here on this Tuesday.

SPEAKER_07 15:27

Yes. Uh, so we heard uh Adam say that they were a little bit surprised that Vegas has struggled the way that they have. When you look at the standings right now in that Pacific division, we've heard all the comments about pillow fight for the Pacific. That's right. Connor McDavid's is now famous. You can make a shirt with that.

SPEAKER_06 15:43

Oh Jerry Millar is gonna sell that too.

SPEAKER_07 15:45

Yeah, that they have not that nobody um is running away with that in Pacific. It's you take it. No, you take it.

SPEAKER_06 15:52

Yeah. Um which is pretty much like the wild final wild card spot in the West. You can have it.

SPEAKER_07 15:58

Yeah. Well, you look at but you look at Vegas. So I was looking at it. Um first periods, Vegas is allowed the second most goals, Winnipeg the second fewest. But Vegas has won two in a row only two times since January the 17th. So they this is the end of a three-game road trip for them. They lost in Nashville, but they won in Dallas. So Central Division road trip. They won in Dallas, and talking to some people, they felt that that was the best game, probably, that Vegas has played this season. But goaltending has been a storyline and has been an issue for them. They don't have they've used four different goaltenders throughout this season. None of them have a save percentage above 900. Oof. So struggles for it, but they are still above 500 on the road. They come into tonight's game 16, 13, and 7 on the road.

SPEAKER_06 16:49

All right, before we bring in Darren Millard, uh, let's hear Scott O'Neill's comments on playing the Vegas Golden Knights tonight.

SPEAKER_01 16:55

Well, they're always, they have been, and they still are one of the elite teams in the league. Um, you know, not too far removed from being a Stanley Cup champion. They still have a lot of those pieces in place. Uh you know, Butchie does a fantastic job of uh year after year of you know them tiling in, and you know, they're a big heavy team, and they have obviously some top-end skill. You know, their specialty teams right now are like they're four and seven, they're power playing their PK, and then when it comes to the analytic side defending, they do a great job of protecting the gutsy ice. And um, you know, they bring it out every night, and they're like I said, they're one of the better teams in the league, and they have been for a number of years.

SPEAKER_07 17:32

So, even with the struggles you mentioned, Vegas has had the Jets number. Um one, six, and three is the Jets record against Vegas in their last ten games. Uh, Connor Hallebuck has struggled to be able to get the wins. He was winless in his last six against them. Uh, one player that if you want to keep your eye on Cole Perfetti has a six-game point streak going against the Golden Knights.

SPEAKER_06 17:55

We'll take that.

SPEAKER_07 17:56

Yeah, so we'll see whether or not he's able to push it to seven.

SPEAKER_06 17:59

Well, we'll see um if the our next guest has his A game as well on this Tuesday.

SPEAKER_07 18:06

Okay.

SPEAKER_06 18:06

Darren Millard joins us now. Long time Jets TV alumni.

SPEAKER_07 18:14

Actually, Jamie wants to know, Darren, is that how you start off every introduction to people?

SPEAKER_06 18:19

Yeah. The Golden Knights broadcast. Do you go Jets TV alumni, Darren Millard, in your introduction?

SPEAKER_05 18:25

There's a your highness in there somewhere. Well, it is. I mean, yeah, well, he kind of he kind of left out a pivotal part in the introduction.

SPEAKER_06 18:36

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, you had that you had that royal aura around you when you got here.

SPEAKER_05 18:41

You know, it's it's following me along. Hi, Phyllis. You know this game so well, so that's what's up. I yeah, I was listening to you guys because I I got a chance to to get on a little early just to catch the vibe and yeah, boy, you're lucky you've got Sarah with you. Like it's it's a good thing.

SPEAKER_06 19:05

Yeah, I know. When she isn't on the show, I realize that she is useful.

SPEAKER_05 19:09

That's why are your mics so close together? Like, is that is that because you don't like each other and the mics are forcing you guys to to stand close together?

SPEAKER_06 19:18

There's like not too much space, like it's about spacing.

SPEAKER_05 19:20

And why do you have a green light and Sarah has like a purple light? Purple, yeah.

SPEAKER_06 19:24

I don't know.

SPEAKER_05 19:25

These are all good questions. Yeah, this is what the viewer wants to know.

SPEAKER_07 19:28

Yeah, you know what? We're just happy that we are actually streaming and on the R right now.

SPEAKER_06 19:32

Oh, dude, we had a little we had a stretch there.

SPEAKER_07 19:35

The technology aspect usually escapes Jamie, and that's what he's in charge of. I'm not sure why.

SPEAKER_06 19:42

They put the guy, the oldest guy in the department on charge of technology, which is not clearly a good idea at all.

SPEAKER_05 19:49

Three three things to go to for for Jamie Thomas and technology. Drop it, yeah, control alt delete, yes, or turn it off. Yeah, he's he rarely forgets to turn it back on. That's his problem.

SPEAKER_07 20:04

This is how often this show goes, so what do you want to talk about next? I go, Well, probably what I put in the rundown and I sent to you. Could we go with that?

SPEAKER_05 20:16

Would that be okay, Jamie? Just to follow along. And you know, I'll even ring a little bell when it's time to turn the page.

SPEAKER_07 20:22

Or how about we look at we could do anything with the projected lines? Oh, yeah, just hold on, hold on a second. Where are those?

SPEAKER_05 20:30

Where are those things?

SPEAKER_07 20:33

Oh, it's a good thing he's such an excuse.

SPEAKER_06 20:34

Why don't we bring Joe Pascucci in to continue the dog pile here while we're at it? So used to be my boss, so he knows.

SPEAKER_05 20:43

Hey, Joe used to be my boss too.

SPEAKER_04 20:45

Can I have Wednesday off any day you want, Darren? Any day you want. We even brought the old sports line logo behind here. Oh, that's awesome.

SPEAKER_05 20:56

I like the music. We need the music.

SPEAKER_06 21:00

While we're at this, okay. Before we get to the game itself, I brought both of you on to talk about embarrassing moments in your your broadcasting careers. And I was arguing with Sarah. You should have done that on your own.

SPEAKER_07 21:09

Thank you so much for coming on.

SPEAKER_06 21:10

Yeah, thank you for coming on.

SPEAKER_05 21:11

First off, Jamie, you could have handled this segment so long.

SPEAKER_06 21:17

So we were arguing about this before we came on air. And she's like, I'm like, Do you have any embarrassing moments? And of course, Sarah's like, I never, because I don't fail at anything. Yeah, because she's amazing. And I was like, uh She's like, I can't come up off the top of my head. I've got like 6,000 in my mind. You guys have gonna come up with a million already. But I was talking about this time I was in Los Angeles. I was so hung over, I was doing my stand-up and I couldn't hold my microphone straight because my hand kept shaking so badly. And Sarah's like, is that embarrassing or is that unprofessional? And I'm like, Well, isn't that pretty much the same thing? You can be embarrassing moments and be unprofessional at the same time. It was unprofessional, but it was in people were staring at me because and I can you get super tight on me so my hand isn't in the shot. Because my hand can go like this.

SPEAKER_05 21:56

Okay, I want to jump in on this first because. I was thinking about it today, some of these embarrassing moments, and I had and I had a couple, but I had to leave them out because they were unprofessional. So I'm with Sarah on this one.

SPEAKER_06 22:13

And I admit it was unprofessional, but it was a really embarrassing because there was like a crowd of people around me while the shoot the shot was going on.

SPEAKER_07 22:20

Right. It was both for you.

SPEAKER_06 22:22

So there I acknowledge that.

SPEAKER_07 22:24

I just said that not all embarrassing moments are unprofessional.

SPEAKER_06 22:31

Okay.

SPEAKER_07 22:31

Like sometimes it's just something happens.

SPEAKER_04 22:35

All right, I got one. Okay. 2001 Grey Cup.

SPEAKER_06 22:38

Yep.

SPEAKER_04 22:39

In Montreal. It's really cold. They have me doing a live hit outside uh the hotel, and I couldn't get any words out of my mouth because it was so cold. I was just stumbling and bumbling my way, mumbling my words. So that was my most embarrassing moment because it was live television. We couldn't do it over again.

SPEAKER_05 23:02

The worst part about that is they thought you were drunk, but you were sober.

SPEAKER_04 23:07

Later that night, yes.

SPEAKER_06 23:10

Okay, Darren, what about you, my man?

SPEAKER_05 23:12

Uh, I was my first ever job, I wasn't being paid yet, but it was an internship at uh CGA VR in Melfort, and I rolled in and joined the play-by-play guy Bob Krotchuk for a game between the Nipple and Hawks and the Flynn Flum Bombers, and there was no pregame show, so I got to talk because the game started, and I went to say they got the puck out of the corner. Oh yeah. I didn't say puck. And uh and and Bob felt that was that was like the first things I said on the air, uh, which was uh uh rather tough way to start. Uh, but but that was uh that was my my introduction to the business.

SPEAKER_07 23:48

Oh, I think we've all had Joe. I mean, I feel for you on the cold weather because that used to always be my thing, obviously, with CFL sidelines. And I said, I used to always wear a scarf, and it was partly so that you could do move your mouth in all sorts of weird contortions because it would freeze up, and otherwise it was impossible to get off. And I remember being on the air, same as you, where there'd be times you'd go to speak, and you thought, I don't actually know if this is coming out as anything where people can understand because my lips are frozen to my gums right now, and that's like 2010 Great Cup in Emmetton. Oh, there were there were a few, yeah.

SPEAKER_06 24:28

So I could see that would happen. Yeah, Joe. Yes, can you tell me something embarrassing that happened to Darren while he was on on Sports Line since we're gonna we're gonna play this game a little bit? Like he's been on me today and taking notes, Jamie. Taking notes.

SPEAKER_04 24:42

Well, I think we've talked about this before, we can't show it, but it's the time he had to fill in for me and interviewing Chris Walby, and Chris missed the initiation of Darren uh by uh let's say going after Darren's lips were too red for Chris.

SPEAKER_05 25:01

And I still don't get it. I still don't get it. He he humiliated me, he owned me. I had nothing to come back to. I've watched the clip 500 times over the years, and I still don't get it, except the fact that I had nothing coming back.

SPEAKER_06 25:17

So, Joe, when when Chris would do that on the show, yes, how did you learn how to handle it? Because I just thought he was he does not stop.

SPEAKER_04 25:25

No, I I I for some reason uh I like okay, Gene Principe is very funny and he's creative right on the spot. I need to bounce off somebody. Yeah, I know the comeback line, that was my strength. I always knew the comeback line and would come right into my head as he was giving me a shot. I knew what to hit him back with immediately, and it's just something that I don't know why I have it, but I have it. I know the comeback line, and I can fire off a zinger pretty fast.

SPEAKER_07 25:55

I'm so jealous. I usually I'll come home and I'll say to my husband and daughter, I'll say, you know, oh, this happened and this person said this, and they'll look at me right away and go, please tell me you replied with you know, no, it's because you're nice, though. Such a great response. Oh, I it's because you're the one that needs the 24 hours to be able to come back with something.

SPEAKER_05 26:17

Do you go back to them the next day and go, Hey, that's right, yeah.

SPEAKER_07 26:20

Remember when?

SPEAKER_05 26:21

Yeah, it's like George and Seinfeld.

SPEAKER_04 26:24

I I remember a time during the 95 lockout when Darren was uh practicing with the the jet players, and there was a story about the lockout was gonna come to an end, but Darren was on the ice practicing with the jet players, and they didn't want him to leave.

SPEAKER_05 26:40

But I said, he's gotta go, and then they started firing pucks at me because I was taking him off the ice because they needed a goalie, they weren't happy that Darren was being pulled from their practice, and then they were gonna have a meeting inside in the room after, and and Joe was wanted to get some clips and they kicked Joe out. And I said, sorry, guys. Uh, and I got up to leave, and they're like, No, you can stay. We're actually not having a meeting, we just want them to think we're having a meeting, and I got to stick around.

SPEAKER_06 27:12

Darren, why we have you here? Jordan, uh, why don't you think about some with um what's going on the Jets and what you've seen from them lately? But Darren, can you make sense of this Vegas team in short order? Because apparently they played their best game of the season in Dallas in their seventh game of the year. So, what what what's going on with the Knights this year?

SPEAKER_05 27:30

Well, there's definitely been uh some injury issues uh throughout the year, but I'll go on record that their their last nine games, they've been the better team in every one of them. Uh, haven't got the results uh in every one of them, and uh they're they're peaking right now. They're they've they're turning a corner. The Dallas game was really good. Uh they they were great in the first period in Nashville. Uh they got goalied against Buffalo uh before that, uh, and they won the first two games to start a homestand. Uh I think people are honestly sleeping on them right now because they're getting sucked into the pillow fight uh in the Pacific division. Uh they have the potential uh to to be the the beasts uh that they were predicted to be uh in that division coming towards the the playoffs and whether they catch Anaheim or not, uh we'll see. But uh I I love the way their their forwards are playing defensively, they're allowing under 20 shots uh per game. And uh and Aiden Hill is starting to get into a rhythm in goal, and uh, and that will be uh obviously one of the key parts coming down the stretch. We'll see when Carter Hart comes back.

SPEAKER_06 28:32

Joe, can you make sense of what's going on with the Jets? Uh I know you've been watching them for a long time, my man. And I can see the confusion you're facing with the rest of us, but just what have you seen? I I love the resilience they've shown. They haven't faded out of the playoff picture, they're getting a lot of help right now, but time is ticking here.

SPEAKER_04 28:49

All right. Well, it it gives me flashbacks to the 1980 Jets, the good year, bad year jets. Yeah, you know, and the only thing I could say is that this team is playing like Paul Maurice is coaching them right now because of all the turnovers they're committing at the blue line, theirs and the opposition blue line, like that's how they used to play under Paul Maurice with all the turnovers and the transition going back the other way, they get caught. And that had sort of disappeared under Rick Bonus and Scott O'Neill, but it has returned the season for some reason. And I think that's the the biggest, you know, that's the biggest problem I've seen with the Jets this year, is the amount of turnovers uh that they have that I thought had come vanished from their game under Bonus and uh Arneal.

SPEAKER_07 29:35

Darren, I wanted to ask you, there's been a lot of talk in this market that Eric Homery, who's one six straight now, yeah, he changed his cage.

SPEAKER_05 29:43

Oh, you're going getting cagey, aren't you?

SPEAKER_07 29:45

Oh, yeah, we're still going there. Look at you, like look at your background. As if we can't ask you, we have to ask you about it. Um, so the joke obviously that the change all was, well, you needed to do something. Changes the cage and look at um the success that he's been having recently. So you are our goalie. Well, we're gonna call you our goalie expert on this. We know how much you uh know about the position.

SPEAKER_05 30:13

What about guru? Guru be okay?

SPEAKER_07 30:15

Guru, I think so. Let's go back to this royal thing.

SPEAKER_06 30:18

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_07 30:19

I don't think guru is royal, though.

SPEAKER_06 30:22

No, but let's go back to the earlier comment we're talking about.

SPEAKER_07 30:25

Okay, sure.

SPEAKER_06 30:25

Say with me.

SPEAKER_05 30:30

If if you're staying with him, we're going back in town.

SPEAKER_07 30:34

Hey, Darren, it's a lot of mid-conversation. Like, look at life. You just you don't know where you're gonna go. Squirrel in here?

SPEAKER_06 30:42

Why? I just talked, I just said like two minutes ago how nice you are, and then you're just like, just carry on with the okay.

SPEAKER_05 30:48

The the cage thing. Uh there is something there, all right. Uh, is it the reason why uh Eric is on a roll? The whole reason. No, that he puts in more work than uh than three-quarters of the the league uh with his goaltending. So there's there's a foundation there, and uh we we love uh his game, we love his his work ethic, we love his passion for the game. But but as for the cage, um you'll see around the league, and and people might point this out uh and wonder, okay, he went from a silver cage, a chrome cage, to a white cage. Uh, but I see people around the league wearing black cages or gold cages or uh blue cages. Uh they can see through that fine. Those cages uh by and large are all white on the inside. They're only colored on the outside. So they've got the white cage on the inside. The goalie's looking through the the white side. And yeah, there's there's something to uh the the color effect of uh what you're the bars that that you're looking for, uh and and giving you an advantage, whether it's a split second or tracking the puck uh with the white and the and the black, uh uh a lot of different reasons for it. But uh there's there's a pathway there to see how it would allow you to be better uh on the ice. Not the whole reason, not even half the reason. Uh might just be switching up your batting gloves and you're you're better. But uh I I think that there's there's a little bit of both there.

SPEAKER_06 32:13

Last one before we let you go. This whole conversation out, Eric Armers stat-wise, is the hotter goaltender Joe. Can you even can you even talk about him playing a little bit more down the stretch here with the heart trophy slash Vesna trophy winner as the number one guy here?

SPEAKER_04 32:29

Uh I can see it when the Jets are officially maybe out of the playoff race, which I hope doesn't happen. Yeah, yeah, I'm I'm not going away from Connor Hallabaki. He's your number one goalie now and for the next few seasons ahead. Yeah, not creating any controversy like Peter Debore did last year with Dallas and Office.

SPEAKER_05 32:49

All right. It just it just wouldn't be worth it for yeah, every anybody to go there to play that game at all.

SPEAKER_06 32:57

Gentlemen, appreciate your time. 75% of it, a lot of it.

SPEAKER_05 33:02

Really? That's more than I thought you would enjoy. I could take some because 50% of the first half was all on you. Oh okay, guys. Hey Sarah, nice to see you, Joe. Great to see you. See you everybody.

SPEAKER_06 33:16

Thanks, guys. Thanks for the stories. Talk to you soon. Joe Pescucci.

SPEAKER_00 33:21

Oh, I was able to have those two.

SPEAKER_06 33:23

That was not at all what I pictured again. Did you talk to them beforehand? Hey, let's just dog pile on Jamie?

SPEAKER_07 33:29

Nope, just naturally happens when all of us get together.

SPEAKER_06 33:33

Thank you.

SPEAKER_07 33:34

All right. All right.

SPEAKER_06 33:34

We're not doing that every time. Yeah, she's right. I am going to eat therapy.

SPEAKER_07 33:37

We do have uh, so there is a home ice that's coming out shortly, and um the it's funny because the the two that are in the home ice episode with me, yeah, the two players were discussing how they are so nice with each other that they don't like to chirp each other. And I thought, Wow, it is I'm not gonna tell you who it is.

SPEAKER_06 34:03

Okay, don't tell 'em.

SPEAKER_07 34:05

But they don't like to chirp each other because they're just too nice. And I thought, oh, if they ever saw this show and what you and I are like with each other.

SPEAKER_06 34:14

They might learn some bad ideas, they might never agree to be guests. Yeah, that's true. That's true.

SPEAKER_07 34:19

Um, look, everybody, thanks so much for joining us on the show today. We're gonna quickly put up the projected lines again.

SPEAKER_00 34:27

Yep.

SPEAKER_07 34:27

Um, Connor Halibuck in net, these are the same lines. That's what we saw. No surprise with it. They like the way that they have been playing, even though it's one-one one on the road trip. Um against Vegas, they have struggled. We'll see whether or not they can turn around. We do know that the Manitoba-born players on this Vegas team always seemed, and it doesn't matter whether it's the current ones, like uh Mark Stone or Brad Howden. When Ryan Reeves was with Vegas, we know that he, you know, upped his game. So Manitoban players always seem to bring their best when they come here to town. We'll see whether or not the Winnipeg Jets can stop them, though, is they look to close that gap on the second wildcard spot. Because with 15 games going on today, there could be movement. You want to make sure that you try to at least stay um at five games or five points back, right? You don't want to drop to seven.

SPEAKER_06 35:18

No, no, no, because you work so hard to stay at five.

SPEAKER_07 35:22

Yes, you manage. It's my obvious comment of the day.

SPEAKER_06 35:24

Yeah, not many.

SPEAKER_07 35:26

You don't you don't want to drop back to seven when there's only a lot of things.

SPEAKER_06 35:30

If you lose this game, you could fall back to the ball.

SPEAKER_07 35:32

Stick with me, math is not my strong point, but you do not want to drop back to seven. Yeah, uh, you guys are the best. Thank you so much for joining us as always, and we hope that you will be back with us on Thursday because the Colorado Avalanche are in town, the first of back to back, a home and home series between the Avalanche and the Jets. So that should be a good one, but you gotta get through Vegas first.

SPEAKER_06 35:52

Did we do double Connor McGahehee? Or is that too much Connor McGahee?

SPEAKER_07 35:55

It's your call.

SPEAKER_06 35:57

Oh, okay. I can only do so much. I don't believe anything you just said there.

SPEAKER_07 36:02

You guys are the best. Thanks so much for checking in the world.