It will be a big season for Neal Pionk as he prepares for his sixth year in Winnipeg. He spoke following skate ahead of the team leaving for Edmonton where he might have to become reacquainted with Connor McDavid. He spoke about getting reset for the season and more.
@Winnipeg Jets
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People dog Pionk, and maybe he's been clutzy with the puck here and there and that stands out more than all the good things, but I just watched a video of all the Jets' home playoff goals. In game 4 of the bubble playoffs we were looking to sweep the Oilers in what would turn out to be a fairly back-and-forth game. We were down 2-0, but scored to bring it within 1. But Edmonton scored again for 3-1. But we didn't give up, we kept playing our game and scored to again bring us within 1. Then, in the last few minutes of the third, we scored to tie the game and send it into OT. Then 2OT. Then 3OT.
Everyone's exhausted about 7-8 minutes into triple overtime and KC is wayyy deep after an offensive push, still in the Edmonton zone, with Scheif not much better off and with no chance of getting back in time. Because already crossing into our zone at the other end of the ice, with the puck on his stick, is 97. Right next to him is 29 and the only thing between the two of them and the net is our #4 (almost everyone else was changing, leaving little between 81 and Smith). Draisaitl jumps around Pionk to the right while McDavid tosses the puck past Pionk on the left, probably intending to go hard right straight to the net with Leon possessing in the corner and looking to get the puck back to 97.
But Neal Pionk says no, whips his stick behind him (with the power of his Super Hips??) and catches the puck as it lands behind, immediately throwing it up the boards to a spent KFC, who turns an agile 180 for a last hard push to the net, hurling it top corner, cross-grain, to score against Smith and end the series. Because when we needed him to, a tired Pionk took the puck from two of the best players, maybe the best O-pairing in the league, and in one smooth motion got it effectively to our best sniper to sweep Edmonton in 4 games, in triple overtime, sending the Oil home in dramatic fashion. Yes, Pionk.
So I try to take criticism with a grain of salt, because it's way easier to notice (and then tally) the little mistakes we see throughout the season than to see all the consistently good things we also see, but rarely notice. Go Jets!
Have a fantastic season Neal Pionk !!! Great interview !!! Than you @Illegal Curve Hockey 😃