The Winnipeg Jets (15-18-4) lost to the Edmonton Oilers (20-14-6) 3-1 on Monday night to extend their losing streak to six games. Additionally, they have lost nine of their last 10, and if we want to go way back, 15 of their last 18.
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While the Jets were the better team for large stretches on Monday, they could not buy a goal when it mattered the most, which has been the story for most of this season.
Jets’ Offence Continues to Struggle
Calvin Pickard made 41 saves as the Jets outshot the Oilers 42-21. There’s no denying he had an incredible night and deserves all of the credit in the world. However, the goaltending of the opposition hasn’t always mattered when the Jets are not able to put pucks in the net, and when it does matter, they still need to find a way to get the job done.
I pointed out that the Jets have won three of their last 18 games. In all three of those games, they scored four or more goals. In the 15 losses, they scored three goals or fewer. In fact, the only game of the season that the Jets lost when they scored at least four goals was the season opener against the Dallas Stars.
In recent history, the Jets have prided themselves on winning games 3-2 or 2-1. More than that, they relied on it. So far this season, they have scored four or more goals in 13 of their 15 wins. If their opponent scores three or more, there’s a really good chance the Jets are losing. It goes without saying that this is not a recipe for success.
Margins Too Thin For Mental Errors
Heading into the second period, the Jets were in a good position. They outshot the Oilers 15-9 in the first, and while they couldn’t capitalize on five power-play shots, it felt like they were building momentum heading into the middle period. Then, a mental error from Logan Stanley put the Jets behind the eight-ball.
After the puck was chipped into the Jets’ zone by the Oilers, Connor Hellebuyck guided it to the left of the crease for Stanley to take over. Stanley thought he had time as he went behind the net to set up, scan the ice, and decide his next move. Unfortunately for him, there was an Oiler right on his heels to create the turnover, and the puck went to the side of the left post, where Max Jones took advantage for the first goal of the game.
In the context of the game, these mistakes just cannot happen. Who knows what would have happened if Jones hadn’t scored there. Maybe the Jets would have won, maybe not. Regardless, in a game so tightly played and where the Jets were relatively in control, plays and decisions in the defensive zone need to be better than that.
In the context of the season, points are too precious for errors like that.
Jets Played Well Enough to Win
I have no doubt that the Jets believe in themselves and their ability to bounce back from what has been a less-than-desirable start to the season. So, while moral victories might not fly with the fans and the media, I think it’s acceptable to take what you can if you’re inside the dressing room.
“I can’t criticize the effort, I can’t criticize the battle,” Winnipeg coach Scott Arniel said after the game. “The opportunities, the game plan that we threw at them against their elite players, all of those things I asked them to do, they did it. At the end of the day, we’re not getting points and that’s the most important thing.”
“I thought we played really well,” captain Adam Lowry said. “Obviously, there are no moral victories, but I think if we play that style of hockey, if we play that consistent effort for 60 minutes we are going to get more positive results than we got here tonight. That’s what you can take from this game. — I think as a whole the process and the way it looks is a lot closer to what we envisioned our team to look like.”
That is where I think this is more than just a moral victory. The Jets were the better team on Monday night. They don’t have a lot of time to rest on being the “better team”, but Lowry is right. Monday looked a lot more like Jets’ hockey. We’ll see what that means moving forward.
Up Next
It doesn’t get much easier for the Jets. Winnipeg will travel to Detroit to take on the Red Wings on New Year’s Eve, Toronto to face the Maple Leafs on New Year’s Day, and Ottawa to wrap up a short road trip against the Senators.
