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Evander Kane(notes) was sky high when he learned how pumped fans were to have theJets back in Canada. On a commercial flight over the summer to Winnipeg, Kanewas recognized as one of the stars of the reborn franchise and became morepopular among his fellow passengers than the free peanuts.Once he landed, about a dozen Jets fans waited outside his gate to greethim.The message was clear: Welcome ba acc football scores ck to Winnipeg, Jets. And welcome to yournew home, Evander Kane.This time, stay. #8220;I don #8217;t know how they knew the time of my flight, #8221; Kane said, smiling. #8220;It was cool. It was fun to see. #8221;After 12 apathetic years and 11 ho-hum seasons in Atlanta, playing in anarena filled with more losses than fans, the Thrashers hit the scrap heap. TrueNorth Sports and Entertainmen acc football scores t bought the team and moved the Thrashers toWinnipeg, still reeling from losing the Jets to Phoenix after the 1995-96season.The Jets are in instant smash hit the second time around in hockey-crazedWinnipeg. From packed crowds to team flags waving from cars to routine errandsturning into autograph sessions for the players, the affection from the citytoward the franchise has floored the former Thras acc football scores hers, and Jets home games arefueled with a Stanley Cup playoff series feel. It #8217;s been a frenzy straight fromthe announcement into training camp and into the season.A month into their first campaign, players were still buzzing over theopening night homecoming scene. As the seconds ticked down in a 5-1 loss to theMontreal Canadiens, the fans at MTS Centre rose to their feet and gave the Jetsa acc football scores standing ovation. #8220;For me, I can relate it to big games, a playoff game or a WinterClassic, #8221; Jets captain Andrew Ladd(notes) said. #8220;It had a bigger feel than mostopeners. I don #8217;t think you realize how much the team meant to that communityuntil you felt that energy and atmosphere. #8221;All the Jets need now is to give them a winner to root for. While the Jetsleft Atlanta nea acc football scores rly 1,600 miles behind, they brought the losing with them. TheJets are 4-6-1 and near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, a stalereminder of a franchise that made one postseason appearance overall and failedto post a winning record in their final four seasons in Atlanta.The Thrashers went through four coaches in their life span, and failed towin a playoff game, let alone a series. In t acc football scores he 2006-07 season, Atlanta won itsfirst and last Southeast Division title, only to be swept in the first round bythe New York Rangers.That was a team of stars #8212;forwards Ilya Kovalchuk(notes), Marian Hossa(notes), and KeithTkachuk(notes) among them #8212;and even that didn #8217;t work in Georgia. That sweep is oftenremembered for an embarrassing 7-0 loss in Game 3 at Madison Square Garden.The acc football scores Jets were a regular postseason team in the 1980s during their first NHLincarnation, though playing in the same division as elite teams like Edmontonand Calgary thwarted their Stanley Cup bids. Led by Bobby Hull, the WinnipegJets first hit the scene in 1972 as part of the defunct World HockeyAssociation. They were one of four teams absorbed by the NHL in 1979 and stayedin Winnipeg until leaving fo acc football scores r Phoenix #8212;and rechristened the Coyotes #8212;in 1996.Jets forward Eric Fehr(notes) was raised about 90 miles away in Winkler, Manitoba,and grew up a diehard fan of the team. He idolized those old Jets and wascrushed when they left for Phoenix. He never followed the team once it boltedfor the United States.When the Washington Capitals traded him in the offseason to Winnipeg, hefelt like a kid acc football scores again. #8220;It was something I dreamed to be a part of when I was younger, #8221; he said. #8220;Now, I #8217;m living it. #8221;As for the sold-out crowds, Fehr said the fans are, #8220;going to make it theirjob to make sure they never leave again. #8221;Bad crowds and bad teams were a recipe for moving trucks in Atlanta.This was the second time the NHL failed in Georgia #8217;s capital city. acc football scores TheThrashers averaged less than 14,000 fans a game last season, and co-ownerMichael Gearon and the rest of the Atlanta Spirit group came under heavycriticism for the way they ran the franchise.Along the way, they claimed $130 million in losses.Canadian billionaire David Thomson, who heads the Winnipeg ownership groupalong with Mark Chipman, made a serious pitch for an NHL team when the Coyotesand acc football scores the Thrashers ran into financial hardships.So the Thrashers packed up, changed their name, and became the seventh ofthe NHL #8217;s 30 franchises to call Canada home. #8220;It was very quiet in Atlanta, #8221; Fehr said. #8220;It was one of the tougherbuildings to play in just because of the atmosphere. #8221;The NHL swapped a market of 5 million people in the metro Atlanta area inexchange for Wi acc football scores nnipeg, the league #8217;s smallest market with the smallest arena.The Jets play in the 15,015-seat MTS Center, where 13,000 season ticketswere sold in a matter of minutes days after the sale was announced.Even teen pop star Justin Bieber went to a game, wearing a No. 6 Jetsjersey, and watched a rare victory from a box seat.Not everything about the transition has been easy for the Jets, though. Th acc football scores eJets are still stuck in the Southeast Division with Washington, Florida,Carolina and Tampa Bay for this season. That makes no sense geographically anddoes nothing to build natural rivalries. In the wake of their arrival, NHLcommissioner Gary Bettman put a realignment plan into place next season thatwill stick the Jets in the Western Conference.Until then, it #8217;s road trips like their current acc football scores one: A taxing seven-game tripwith stops against the Flyers, Lightning, Panthers, Islanders, Devils, Rangersand Sabres. They are 2-1 on the trip entering Thursday #8217;s game in Uniondale, N.YThe Jets are counting on team bonding to lead to better results on the ice.Maybe then that playoff-type atmosphere in the opener could be duplicated inthe real deal in April. Play Fantasy Hockey, now with acc football scores Pro Leagues! And follow Yahoo! Sports' NHL coverage on Twitter. Updated 5 hours, 16 minutes ago acc football scores
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