The Winnipeg Jets dropped another game to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday, Nov 28, which was their seventh regulation loss of the season as they got shutout 2-0 by Jake Oettinger and the Stars’ defence core. While it was an uneventful night offensively for Winnipeg, there was plenty to take away from their first game of a four-game home stand.
Jets Lines are Sure to Change When Gabe Vilardi Returns
Gabriel Vilardi is set to return very soon, as he has been skating in a regular contact jersey for almost a week now. Where he slots into the lineup upon return remains a hot topic surrounding the Jets, but with this game, it became much clearer where he may slot in.
Heading into the third period, Rick Bowness shuffled his forward lines. He swapped Nikolaj Ehlers and Alex Iafallo in the top six, pairing Ehlers with Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor, and Iafallo with Cole Perfetti and Vladislav Namestnikov. Many people referenced the red-hot play of Iafallo, Connor, and Scheifele as the reason why Vilardi may have to slot in elsewhere, but it seems that conversation has passed.
It is seeming more obvious by the game that Vilardi will potentially slot in alongside Connor and Scheifele, a spot in which he occupied before his MCL sprain sidelined him six weeks.
Related: Jets Getting Gabe Vilardi Back Raises Lineup Questions
In their limited time together, both by the eye test and analytics, the Connor-Scheifele-Vilardi trio was dynamite. The Jets might not stick with that combination long-term, but going back to it right after a shutout performance might be in their best interest.
The Winnipeg Jets’ 5-on-3 Opportunities Failed Them
The Jets had two five-on-three opportunities in this one, failed to convert on both, and it cost them the game. After the game, Bowness expressed to reporters that: “In a low-event game, if you get two 5-on-3s and you don’t score, it’s going to cost you the game.”
Nino Niederreiter shared the same thought, stating post-game: “We’ve got to make them pay when we have two opportunities five-on-three. We have to bear down there and get the momentum at least on our side.”
Coming into the game against the Stars, the Jets’ power play had turned a bit of a corner for the better. That was obviously not the case in this one, but since November 1st, they had the second best power play in the Western Conference behind only the Vancouver Canucks.
Failing to convert on both opportunities drastically changed the outcome of this game, and the Jets have now dropped both meetings at home to the Dallas Stars to begin the 2023-24 season. These are games that could prove crucial down the stretch in the standings, and the Jets will have to play catch up.
The Jets’ Five-on-Five Game Remains Consistent
Despite the two-game losing streak, the Jets five-on-five game has remained intact. They did not dominate the Stars at even strength in this one, but it was a tightly contested low-event game in which the Jets hung around.
The shot attempts were 45-43 in the Stars’ favour, the shots on goal were 21-18 in Winnipeg’s favour, and the high-danger chances were 5-4 in Dallas’ favour. Despite the warranted doom and gloom about the Jets’ power play, it seems as though they are able to stack their five-on-five game up against anyone in the National Hockey League.
Since the Jets 1-3-0 start to the season, they are 11-4-2 and tied as the number one team in the Central Division from Oct. 21 to the present day. They have been playing great hockey for weeks now, and this two-game losing streak is more than salvageable on this home stand.
It will have to remain consistent in the coming games, as the Jets welcome in the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday, November 30th. The Oilers have had a shaky start to the 2023-24 campaign, but they are currently riding a three-game win streak, with their latest being a 5-4 shootout win over the Vegas Golden Knights.
