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Game 31 at Tampa: Scoring Chances and Observations

By Travis Hrubeniuk

Dec 9, 2013, 02:14 ESTUpdated: Dec 9, 2013, 00:56 EST

Comments

Fenwick chart from extraskater.com

I’m not sure what the most shocking stat of this game really is. The fact that they Jets had the better start, that they were shutout chance wise in the third period, or that they won the special teams battle.

Scoring Chances

–	Even Strength	PP/SH	Chance +/-
Player	For	Vs.	For	Vs.	–
Stuart	1	3	0	0	-2
Ellerby	2	3	0	0	-1
Trouba	4	4	3	0	3
Jokinen	5	1	3	0	7
Peluso	0	1	0	0	-1
Halischuk	1	1	0	0	0
Ladd	5	9	2	0	-2
Wright	0	1	0	0	-1
Little	4	10	2	0	-4
Thorburn	3	1	1	0	3
Clitsome	3	3	3	0	3
Wheeler	5	9	0	0	-4
Byfuglien	5	7	0	0	-2
Enstrom	5	6	0	0	-1
Setoguchi	4	0	1	0	5
Scheifele	1	2	0	0	-1
Frolik	0	1	0	0	-1
Albert	0	1	0	0	-1

–	Even Strength	PP/SH	Chance +/-
Player	For	Vs.	For	Vs.	–
Brewer	2	3	0	3	-4
Salo	3	3	0	2	-2
Gudas	7	2	0	0	5
Barberio	2	5	0	0	-3
Johnson	3	6	0	0	-3
Purcell	3	1	0	0	2
Killorn	5	0	0	0	5
Palat	3	6	0	0	-3
Crombeen	2	2	0	1	-1
Brown	2	1	0	0	1
Carle	8	5	0	0	3
St. Louis	6	7	0	2	-3
Tyrell	2	2	0	1	-1
Thompson	3	0	0	1	2
Filppula	6	2	0	1	3
Taormina	2	0	0	0	2
Kucherov	2	1	0	0	1
Sustr	2	2	0	1	-1

Team	1^st (ES)	2^nd (ES)	3^rd (ES)	OT (ES)	Total (ES)
Winnipeg	8 (6)	4 (3)	0 (0)	1 (1)	13 (10)
Tampa Bay	4 (4)	4 (4)	4 (4)	1 (1)	13 (13)

Observations

The Jets actually had a strong start to this game. Sadly, the wheels progressively fell off following it. It looked to me almost like the Jets decided to try to hold on to a 1-0 lead for the entire game. This is a method we have honestly seen way too much of, and it usually ends up biting them right in the butt. In fact, I’m certain that if Stamkos was healthy it would have. Yet on Saturday night they managed to pull off a win, despite only registering a single chance throughout the final period and overtime.

The LLW line had a night to forget at even strength. Despite scoring the Jets lone goal in regulation, they were handily out chanced throughout the game. Usually, this would mean an almost guaranteed loss. I guess I have to credit the Jets for pulling out a rare win in this situation?

The Jets second line, once again, managed to be the best one on the night. I can’t explain this because it makes no sense. One thing I am sure of though, is that it is by no means because of Chris Thorburn. If anything this success is in spite of him.

Jacob Trouba is a boss. Plain and simple. He has Grant Clitsome playing better, adds to the offense, and shuts guys down defensively. Yes he has the occasional lapse, but he is a rookie. This kid is going to be something special.

The Jets won the special teams battle. They didn’t necessarily play amazing on the power play, (actually I thought a couple of them were just awful) but they still won the overall battle. So that’s fabulous.

Final Thought

In the end, a game that started as (and could have been throughout) a dominant Jets performance turned out to be a very evenly played one. The Jets need to develop a killer instinct, and stop playing to tie games. They seem extremely comfortable with turning every game into a three-point affair, and that’s not what playoff teams do. It’s almost to the point where a culture change will be needed for that to develop.