Label or not, Hutchinson proven No. 1 netminder for Jets

On the surface, any comparison between the two would seem unfair.

One is a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Los Angeles Kings, first in 2012 and again in 2014. He was playoff MVP in the first cup run and has finished top-five in voting for the Vezina Trophy the hardware awarded to the leagues top goalie in the regular season two of the past three years.

The other, a rookie at 25 years old with just 21 NHL wins on his resume. He started in the East Coast Hockey League last season before landing a spot with the St. Johns IceCaps the Jets affiliate in the American Hockey League.

He played just three games with the Jets last season, winning twice and was a key factor in a run to the Calder Cup with the IceCaps. In the summer he inked a two-year deal with the Jets with no guarantee he would stick for a full season.

But as apparent the differences between Kings goalie Jonathan Quick and Jets tender Michael Hutchinson may be, the common denominator between the two is clear: the success of each team this season will be weighed heavily on their shoulders.

Hutchinson on top

In Winnipeg, Hutchinson is starting to emerge as the teams No.1 guy, even if coach Paul Maurice wont fully admit it. He has started four straight games and five of the last six. In his last eight starts hes posted a 5-0-3 record.

As for Quick, a slow start to the year has been over shadowed by his recent success. Quick has won eight of his last 10 games and has posted a save percentage north of .960 in five of them with one shutout.

So in a way it was teacher versus student Sunday afternoon as Quick and Hutchinson faced off against one another for the second time this season.

And once again it was Hutchinson who emerged the victor, making 18 saves in a 5-2 victory.

• RECAP:Jets increase wild card lead with win over Kings

Quick, in what looked like an off night for him, was pulled from the net to start the third period after allowing four goals on 21 shots. In their other meeting this year, a game back on Jan. 10, Hutchinson walked away with a 5-4 shootout win.

Hes a good goalie, said Kings forward Jeff Carter. Big guy, not much to shoot at and it seems like at least against us, he handles his rebounds really well.

It was high praise from Carter, who has 275 goals in his 10-year career including a 46-goal campaign with Philadelphia in 2008-09 season, especially when you consider he scored both goals against Hutchinson on Sunday.

But its not only those in opposing rooms taking notice just as the leaders in the Jets locker room.

Jets captain Andrew Ladd spoke passionately following practice Saturday when he dismissed the importance of the Jets draft-and-develop model to future success, a topic thats been talked about every other week for the past four seasons in Winnipeg.

Finding consistency

For Ladd, who has two Stanley Cups rings of his own playing with Chicago and Carolina, its about winning right now. And for someone whos been at the top before, Ladd knows the cost of making the playoffs is finding consistency in your game, including between the pipes.

Its key, said Ladd, who scored a pair of goals in the win to take over sole lead in team points with 52.

Youre not expecting your goaltender to stand on his head but you want him to make key saves, and both our goalies have been really solid throughout the year and given us a chance to win each and every night. I thought Hutchinson was great [again tonight].

Maurice echoed much of what Ladd had said, crediting both Hutchinson and Ondrej Pavelec with their play all season. But even though Pavelec has had his share of quality starts this season, the results speak for themselves.

In four fewer starts, Hutchinson has posted six more wins and boasts a record of 19-7-5. His goals against are fewer, and his save percentage higher.

Maurice knows this. But he also knows the importance of having a team-first attitude, meaning those expecting him to formally appoint a No.1 goalie anytime soon will surely be disappointed.

For the most part the group has kind of flown together, said Maurice. Weve got really good goaltending usually on the nights that we play a pretty solid game.

There are a lot of teams with a lot of games on the docket left, with a lot of back-to-backs. Weve had those already and now weve got in to a spot where we can rest, practice and run a guy a little bit.

Well get out of that in about the third week of March. Were going to need both goaltenders back going but Mike is pretty much what were seeing. I dont think his game has necessarily elevated, I think his game has been that good all year.

Hutchinson will have to continue to be good for the Jets down the stretch if they hope to make a serious playoff run. And if the moves of Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff suggests anything, its his commitment to winning this season.

In the last few weeks Cheveldayoff has shed the ego of Evander Kane and brought in proven NHLers in Tyler Myers, Drew Stafford, Jiri Tlusty and, most recently, Lee Stempniak, who was acquired from the New York Rangers mid-game Sunday in exchange for prospect Carl Klingberg.

It looks as if all the pieces are starting to fit for the Jets. And whether Hutchinson can earn the official starter label or not, giving him the lions share of the starts down the stretch seems more than fair.