The Winnipeg Jets lost their fourth game in a row last night, this time to the St. Louis Blues. With the loss, they’ve officially slid out of the top spot in the league. The team faces its first real losing streak following their 4-1 loss. While the game is another notch in the loss column, there were lots of things, both good and bad, for the Jets to learn from.
Brad Lambert Had Chemistry with Cole Perfetti
The Jets recalled Brad Lambert for his second career NHL game, and he looked great on the ice. He and Cole Perfetti generated some chances on the second line together with Gabriel Vilardi. Most of their success came in the first period, before the first and second lines swapped late in the game. Still, generally speaking, Lambert looked pretty comfortable with his linemates.
It’s hard to say that he’s ready for consistent NHL playing time, but getting Lambert this exposure can only help his development. With Nikolaj Ehlers set to be out for a bit, he will probably get a good look from the coaching staff. His faceoff percentage of 25 left something to be desired, but he blocked three shots and got some time on the power play. He’s likely not the solution at 2C for now, but with a little more development and professional playing experience in the big leagues, he has the potential to be a great asset for the Jets.
Power Play Needs Adjusting
The former league-leading power play appears to be on the decline. That was only natural, seeing as though a power play percentage in the 40s was unsustainable. That being said, the power play was lacking against St. Louis, and it’s in the Jets’ best interest to find the solution sooner rather than later.
Related: Jets’ Scott Arniel & New Coaching Staff Taking Team to Historic Heights
The Jets had two power plays, both in the second period. Winnipeg didn’t have a single shot on goal during their first attempt, and the second power play only lasted a few seconds before it became a 4-on-4 following a penalty against Vilardi. The new power play found great success in the first two months of the season. Now, the Jets haven’t scored a power-play goal since their Nov. 27 game against the Los Angeles Kings. Winnipeg’s powerplay percentage is currently second in the league at 31.5, so it’s not like the sky is falling (yet), but it’s certainly something for the team to reassess in coming games.
Jets Need to Rest Following a Long Road Trip
What’s going wrong with the Jets can be attributed to a number of factors: injuries, mental blocks, special teams, etc. A lot of this, however, may be due to the long road trip the team just concluded. The Jets haven’t been in the same city for more than one game since their homestand at the start of November.
The Jets played three games away in New York, Tampa, and Sunrise before returning home for one game. They hit the road again for another six games that spanned across the United States all the way from Pittsburgh to Las Vegas. Once again, they were home for their game against St. Louis, and now they’re back on the road again to head to Buffalo and Chicago. Their next homestand with consecutive games in Winnipeg doesn’t start until Dec. 8, and even then, their first game back at home is the second half of a back-to-back. That’s an exhausting stretch of schedule!
This isn’t to make excuses and say that all of the team’s failures can or should be attributed to a road trip, but it’s something to bear in mind. In my opinion, lots of the mistakes the team is making now are probably because they’re tired. Not to mention, the injury bug has found its way to Winnipeg. Key players like Ehlers and Dylan Samberg are out, and Mark Scheifele appears to be dealing with something minor that’s affecting his game. If the Jets appear to still not have that spark once they’ve played a few consecutive games at home, then it’s time to start sounding the alarm. For now, I think they have a mental hurdle from exhaustion to climb over.
Jets Look to Regroup Against the Buffalo Sabres and Chicago Blackhawks
The Jets will play the Sabres on Dec. 5 and the Blackhawks on Dec. 7 where they’ll hopefully turn things around. Buffalo currently sits in fifth place in the Atlantic Division while Chicago is dead last in the Central. The Jets have already beaten the Blackhawks this season, but the Sabres will be a new opponent. Winnipeg will look to stop their losing streak before it gets any worse, and hopefully find a way to get some rest in between.
