JNGD.S8.G59 Recap: Jets Fall To Senators Again In Overtime

Photo credit:© Terrence Lee-USA TODAY Sports

5 years ago

Yes, the Winnipeg Jets are a first place club. No one will dispute that.

But after two losses to the Ottawa freakin Senators in a seven day span – tonight being a 4-3 loss in overtime at home to the Sens – in two games where the Jets really didn’t look that good in either, there also can’t be any debate that there is something wrong with this team in terms of how they play and how they are coached.

This wasn’t so much a win by the Senators as it was the Jets just handing over the game (and more to the point the puck) repeatedly.

Yes, the Jets are still in first after tonight, but it’s nights like this that are the reason many have expressed concern. While there is still reason to be hopeful, the problems this team has with getting out of their own end, allowing far too many shots while not generating any of their own and simple things like bad passing seem to be getting worse at a time when we should really start seeing things get better.

FIRST PERIOD

An inauspicious start for the Jets and Dmitry Kulikov who takes a very early double minor for high sticking and then another minor for playing the puck just as he was getting out of the penalty box. The fun part about all of that is the jets ended up being the team that benefited the most as after giving up a power play goal, they score two quick short handed goals of their own. The Sens though do gain a measure of territorial momentum from the Jets being shorthanded as much as they were. Even strength scoring chances in the period were 4-2 in favor of the Sens and 14-5 for Ottawa in all situations.

SECOND PERIOD

Defensive zone exits continue to be an ongoing issue for the Jets which leads to penalties taken which leads to power play goals against as it did midway through the second when Ottawa even things up. The Jets thought they had a goal to go back up ahead seven seconds later, but Ben Chiarot’s goal was waved off due to the puck going offsides just before the shot happened. The call seemed to rattle the Jets as Sens poured it on and again dominated five on five play. The constant pressure from the Sens forces the Jets to take two more penalties at the end of the period…

THIRD PERIOD

… which the Sens then take advantage of within the first minute of the period on the five on three power play to take the lead. Winnipeg manages to stay clean penalty wise from that point on and while they still give up a 7-6 edge in 5v5 scoring chances, they at least do tie things up midway through the third thanks to Tyler Myer’s second goal of the night. The Jets do play a little bit more of an even game with the Senators, but at this point in the season, that really can’t be seen as a positive. Defenders are still handling the puck like a grenade and forwards are making one pass too many for the perfect play.

OVERTIME PERIOD

The Jets sloppy play carries over to the extra frame where multiple miscues lead to a handful of Senators scoring chances from pretty much the opening puck drop of overtime where Mark Stone and Matt Duchene almost end things seconds in. The Jets really don’t get any clean scoring chances at all (in fact scoring chances are listed at 4-0 for Ottawa) and 3:44 in the Sens finally put the Jets out of their misery.

THE GOOD…

Thanks to the six minutes worth of penalties that Kulikov took to start the game, the Jets according to NHL Public Relations scored the two fastest short handed goals in franchise history, 2:37 apart. Is that good? The penalties were bad, the illegal substitution penalty was especially ugly, but goals are good, so… *shrug emoji*
Really nice game for Laurent Brossoit and I think we can all let out a sigh of relief after his absolute clunker against the Sens last weekend. Can’t really fault him for any of the four goals against tonight as his defense hung him out to dry a bit.
Brandon Tanev is so much fun to watch when he’s really going and i’s a shame he might price himself right out of Winnipeg’s range with his play.
First multi-goal game for Tyler Myers since 2014. (h/t Jamie Thomas) Maybe he’s not the guy you let go after this season?

THE BAD…

But for real, six minutes of penalties to start the game – especially playing the puck while in the box which a five year old could tell you is a big no-no – had me starting to wonder if Kulikov knew something we all didn’t know and was trying to help his new team in Ottawa.
No one will (or should) argue the double minor on Jacob Trouba at the end of the second period, but to ignore the slew foot trip that happened to cause the high stick is very aggravating.
Yet again the Jets get done in by the trio of Sens most rumored to be on the block. Mark Stone, Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel. It’s almost comical at this point.

THE UGLY…

The Jets play like a team that expect passes to automatically be completed tape to tape with no effort on their part. They don’t skate to complete plays. They are far too casual with getting the puck out of their own zone.
The Senators had 71 shot attempts tonight. The Jets just 48. That’s inexcusable for as bad as the Sens have been this season.