Jets Nation Recap: Jets Get Buffaloed In The Afternoon
By Jeremy Wiebe
7 years agoLet’s get this out of the way right now. I don’t like afternoon hockey games. Hockey is meant to be played in the evening. That being said, the Winnipeg Jets looked like they stayed late at a Halloween bash, started slow, and proceeded to lose 3-1 to the Buffalo Sabres before a sleepy crowd at the MTS Centre.
Game Notes:
- We’re beating a dead horse here at Jets Nation but the power play was awful again for the home side. The Jets went 0/5 with the man advantage as once again, they failed to take advantage of the opportunities when presented. There was tinkering done by the coaching staff but it hasn’t worked. One suggestion I’ll make: Take Adam Lowry off the unit. Yes he’s big and he’s a presence in front of the net but his lack of puck skills hurts the unit. Time for a different approach.
- I mentioned the slow start at the top but it bears repeating. I’m not sure if the Jets were partying at The Pint last night but they looked hungover at the start and they got burned. Goals from Kyle Okposo and Brian Gionta gave the Sabres what turned out to be an insurmountable lead. Okposo added his second of the game in the second period. Nikolaj Ehlers ruined Robin Lehner’s shutout bid, but it wasn’t enough.
- After an excellent 37 save performance that earned him a shutout on Friday night, Michael Hutchinson struggled between the pipes, surrendering 3 goals on just 13 shots for a woeful .800 save percentage before being pulled for Connor Hellebuyck. The Jets desperately need consistent goaltending in order to move forward. Someone please step up!
- This was not Alexander Burmistrov’s finest game as a Jet. His turnover led to the Sabres third goal and he looked lost for the most part. Social media let loose on Burmistrov and one wonders if Burmi will be the new whipping boy for frustrated Jets fans.
- Tyler Myers missed the game due to a lower-body injury he suffered Friday in Colorado. It is unsure if he’ll be ready for Tuesday’s game against Washington.
- Blake Wheeler, Chris Thorburn, Ben Chiarot and Josh Morrissey all left the game after suffering injuries. The good news is all of them returned but a maintenance day may be required for all four players before the Washington tilt.
- Man-crush alert: Joel Armia wasn’t as noticeable today so the bromance has been put on hold for now. Oh, the roller-coaster that is the heart.
Hot Taeks:
Charts And Stuff:
All charts courtesy hockeystats.ca
GIF Of The Night:
Sam The Eagle wasn’t impressed.
Recent articles from Jeremy Wiebe
