JN Recap: Jets Left Thunderstruck In OT

The good news is it looks like the Winnipeg Jets have gotten over their overly poor starts to games. The bad news is it looks like they still haven’t quite figured out how to put a full 60 minutes of hockey effort together.

A good first period followed by a poor second and an exciting third led into a very frantic and all too brief 3 on 3 OT where the Jets lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3.

At the very least this was a fun game of hockey, although we could have done without the less than ideal second period that the Jets had. Tampa Bay as we noted in the preview has a very well run offense that specializes in crisp puck movement and that had the Jets chasing the game at times especially during a bad turnover which makes it mostly fitting that the game winning goal in overtime was helped by a turnover and blown tire along the boards by Andrew Ladd.

Still, maybe this game will have a parachute effect for the Jets going forward. It’s clear that they can be guilty of running around in a poorly executed fire drill if they don’t stick to the structure and game plan that Paul Maurice has set for them. When they play disciplined they proved tonight they can easily hang with a team good enough to make it to the Stanley Cup Final and if not for a few bad breaks through the game could have even beaten them. 

Waxing poetic about Ehlers: How amazing is Nik Ehlers just seven games into the season? He doesn’t skate on the ice, he glides with tiny little wings stitched into his skates. He doesn’t shoot the puck, he propels it towards the net with great encouragement and then speaks of great disapointment when it refuses to get past posts and crossbars…

Seven games into the season and various media and fans are already thinking he’s one of if not *the* best player on the ice. We’re so lucky.

So-So Night In Net: At the very least, Pavs didn’t get caught out of his net to give up a bad goal and there really wasn’t any one goal that should have been an easy save (the Lightning after all do deserve credit for having some terrific snipers on their side) but at the same time Pavelec wasn’t at his best either stopping only 27 of 31 shots. That said, Pavs does look a little better position wise and doesn’t quite have the happy feet in goal like he has in years past. If the team in front of him had played with more structure there would be more anger over a .871 save percentage. Instead, annoyance. Pavs wasn’t bad, but he has to be better.

Wheels Up! Blake Wheeler is clutch. That is all. Oh and also this nice little tidbit:

Winnipeg Jets individual 5v5 statistics:

Shot attempt chart for all minutes:

That 3 on 3 overtime is something else huh? And it can end rather abruptly…