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WINNIPEG -- Claude Noel was fired as head coach of the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday morning, but general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff revealed the axe began swinging on Tuesday night. Cheveldayoff told reporters at a press conference Sunday afternoon that he first contacted newly hired Jets head coach Paul Maurice on Tuesday after the team played poorly again, mustering only 14 shots in a 4-2 loss to the Lightning. "I ended up reaching out to Paul after the Tampa game, just to see if I was going to go in a direction like that if he had an interesta" said Cheveldayoff, who also dismissed assistant Perry Pearn. "At that point in time, it still wasnt something that I was ready to do, but (Saturday) night I went to ownership and talked to them about making the change." The Jets lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-3 on Saturday, giving up four goals in the first nine minutes of the second period. Fans booed the team off the ice. "Its not just the last two games, it is the consistency factor," Cheveldayoff said, adding the team kept taking a step forward and then two steps back to stay around .500. The club is 19-23-5 and 10 points back of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The loss also put the Jets on a season-worst five-game losing streak, matching the longest regulation-game losing skid since the team moved to Winnipeg from Atlanta prior to the 2011-2012 season. After getting the go-ahead from Jets owner Mark Chipman to fire Noel, Cheveldayoff said he called Maurice again and they reached a verbal agreement on a contract until the end of this season. "We dont have anything on paper, we have a handshake over the phone," Cheveldayoff said. "Hes flying in here (Sunday) night and going in that fashion. Again, hes very passionate about getting here. When we talked about what he would need, basically it was like, What time is the flight?" Born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., Maurice had been working as a TV analyst for TSN & NHL Network after spending the 2012-13 season as head coach of Magnitogorsk Metallurg of the Kontinental Hockey League. The club earned a 27-13-12 record and missed the playoffs. Maurice inherits a Jets team that has struggled in its third season in Winnipeg, thanks in part to inconsistent goaltending and defensive breakdowns. The 46-year-old has been behind the bench for 1,084 games as an NHL head coach. His first game leading the Jets will be Monday at MTS Centre against the Phoenix Coyotes. This will be the third franchise he has coached, after the Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes and the Toronto Maple Leafs. He got the Hurricanes to the 2002 Stanley Cup final and made five total playoff appearances with Carolina. "Hiring Paul Maurice is something that we feel very good about as far as the opportunity that we have to hire an experienced National Hockey League coach to come in here and begin putting his stamp on the team, and also on the evaluation process that were all going to be going through," said Cheveldayoff, who was given a contract extension last September through the 2017-18 season. Hes never worked with Maurice, but the hockey world is small and his background checks produced good references. "There was one common theme; (hes) extremely professional, extremely prepared, extremely knowledgeable about the game and a guy that is very direct in one-on-one with his people and his players," Cheveldayoff said. Cheveldayoff, who called Noel a "special" and "caring" person, said he met with him and Pearn Sunday morning at MTS Centre to tell them theyd been let go. The GM says Noel was "very respectful" and theyll meet again in the coming days. Hired after the Atlanta Thrashers moved to Winnipeg before the 2011-12 season, Noel went 80-79-18 during his tenure with the Jets. He had been given a one-year extension last June through the 2014-15 season. The team was scheduled to practice late Sunday morning at another local rink, but it was cancelled when Cheveldayoff drove there after the dismissals to give players the news. Captain Andrew Ladd and his teammates shouldered the blame for the coaching changes. "I think it always comes as a shock," Ladd said after the team meeting. "I dont think anyone expected it this morning so its not an easy day. Two good people lose their jobs. Ultimately, it came down to the performance of all the guys in here. Its tough for everyone." Forward Olli Jokinen, a veteran in his 16th NHL season, agreed the players should feel responsible Noel and Pearn had to pay the price for the teams shortcomings. "All of us should be embarrassed that were at the point we have to change the coach," he said. Maurices familiarity with a hockey-crazy market such as Toronto should bode well in Winnipeg, where players are heavily scrutinized by the media and criticized by fans who pack the sold-out MTS Centre. "This is a tough market to play," Jokinen said. "Any Canadian market you play, you know expectations are high. Youve got a lot of media attention, youve got 15,000 GMs watching the games and another couple hundred thousand at home. "So its a place, or any Canadian market, that you as a player you have to put all that aside and focus on doing your job the best you can. Thats all that you can do." He sensed, though, that players were getting easily frustrated and playing "a little bit scared, afraid of making the mistakes." Chevelydayoff, who said his own job "is still a work in progress," admitted he also bears some responsibility for the players he gave Noel to work with. "Ive sat back over the course of 24 hours or whatever and sit there and say, Can I do something else? What else can I do?" he said. "But what I have to be cognizant of is that I dont do something that pushes the franchise backwards from an asset standpoint. Again, this is not without responsibility on my side here, too." The players acknowledged theyll be auditioning for their jobs, although none have played for Maurice. Defenceman Dustin Byfuglien, who moved to right wing for the game against the Blue Jackets, denied Noels message was getting old, but said a new guy in charge might help the team. "I think so," Byfuglien said. "Just someone coming in and no one really knowing him, it could be good for us. "Just getting a new face, a different guy with different attitudes, see how it goes." Retired former Hurricanes goaltender Kevin Weekes, now an analyst on Hockey Night in Canada, gave a glowing endorsement for Maurice to a Canadian Press reporter. "In my entire career, he was the best coach that I played for, both technically, his ability to relate to players, how he treated people, his preparation, you name it." Weekes said. "He was the best coach I played for in the National Hockey League. I played for some good ones, Ive been around a lot of really good people, but hands-down hes the best coach I played for." Cheveldayoff couldnt say whether other changes are on the horizon for the Jets, but he thinks hiring Maurice is a step in the right direction. "We believe that we are underachieving," Cheveldayoff said. "Now its up to the players in some respects to show what theyre all about. "But at the end of the day, we have to take a hard, long look at what other steps there are maybe to move forward." Vans Shoes Sale Uk .ca. Kerry, In the closing minutes of the second period of Game 4 between Pittsburgh and Columbus there were the remnants of two broken sticks behind the Pittsburgh net. Discount Vans Shoes Uk . Petersburg of the KHL. Belov was a free agent last summer when he signed a one-year contract with the Oilers. In 57 games this season he had one goal and six assists with 34 penalty minutes in Edmonton. http://www.discountvansuk.com/ . -- Atlanta Braves pitcher Tommy Hanson is being checked for a possible concussion after blowing a tire on his way to the first workout of spring training. Vans Shoes Clearance Sale Uk . Starting from pole, the 26-year-old Vettel turned in a trademark clinical performance to win the Indian Grand Prix on Sunday and join F1 greats Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher as just the third driver to win four consecutive championships. Vans Outlet Uk Online . There is no argument that the line of Pacioretty, David Desharnais and Thomas Vanek was one of the hottest in the NHL leading into the post-season, and they did combine for three goals and seven points, but it was the depth of all four lines that helped propel Montreal. CHICAGO -- Max Scherzer wasnt at his best Wednesday. But it was more than enough to beat the White Sox. Scherzer threw six scoreless innings and the Detroit Tigers beat the Chicago White Sox 5-1 to finish a two-game sweep. Scherzer (3-1) won his third straight start, allowing four hits while striking out seven to become the first pitcher in team history with at least seven strikeouts in each of his first six starts. He also became the first in the majors to do it since Tim Lincecum began the 2010 season with at least six strikeouts in his first seven starts. But it was the three walks and 105 pitches that gnawed at the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner. "They fought me all the way through the whole at-bat," Scherzer said. "I just thought I could have been a little more efficient so I could have pitched deeper into the game." Scherzer beat the White Sox for the second straight time, following up his April 24 win when he went six innings and allowed two runs in a 7-4 victory. He also helped Tigers win for the fourth time in five games, and shut down the powerful White Sox offence for the second straight day. "Yeah, we missed out on a couple of opportunities today and yesterday too, but those guys are pretty good pitchers and have been for a while," White Sox catcher Tyler Flowers said. "They do some good things in those situations and get the job done. We just have to find a way to battle through on some of those and get some runs across." On Tuesday, Justin Verlander and two relievers held the White Sox to seven hits in a 4-3 Detroit win. Scherzer and the Tigers continued that Wednesday against a team that started the day first in the American League in runs and second in home runs and slugging, coming within one out of a shutout. "Theres 29 other managers that would like to be able to do that," Detroits Brad Ausmus said of starting Verlander and Scherzer on consecutive days. Chicagos Robin Ventura is certainly one of those managers. As with Flowers, he heaped praise on Scherzer. "Hes great, hes always tough. You get some guys on, you get opportunities and thats when ggood pitchers really show their stuff.dddddddddddd He did that today," Ventura said. "We at least got him a high pitch count and he couldnt get eight or nine innings. But, hes just tough." The Tigers got all the runs they needed in a four-run fourth, when Detroit scored four times against Hector Noesi (0-2). Bryan Holaday capped the rally with a two-run double. Noesi, making a spot start for Chicago, went 3 2-3 innings, allowing four runs and five hits. He breezed through the first three innings, but ran into trouble in the fourth in his first start of the season. "We dont know much about the guy, and I dont think he has been extended that far so it may have been a combination of the hitters getting a chance to see him a few times and also maybe because he hadnt been as deep into a game this year," Ausmus said. "He could have been getting a little tired as well." The White Sox challenged Scherzer as well, but left seven runners on against the Tigers righty. "Im very cognizant of what theyre able to do and always willing to give them credit," Scherzer said. "Today I thought they did a good job of battling me but when push came to shove I thought I was better." NOTES: The Tigers announced that left-hander Robbie Ray will make his major-league debut Tuesday in Detroit against the Astros. Ray, 22, was acquired this off-season from the Nationals as part of the trade that sent starter Doug Fister to Washington, and will start in place of injured starter Anibal Sanchez. Sanchez is on the disabled list with a laceration on his right middle finger and threw from flat ground prior to Wednesdays game. . C Alex Avila missed his second straight game with back spasms. . Robin Ventura said LHP Chris Sale is "feeling better" but a rehab start is a possibility if his recovery continues to be extended. Sale has been on the disabled list since April 22 -- retroactive to April 18 -- with a flexor muscle strain in his left arm. Ventura also said RHP Felipe Paulino (right rotator cuff inflammation) will have a rehab assignment coming up "pretty soon." ' ' '