The Winnipeg Jets dug down hard and cemented themselves a top-14 draft pick by losing to the Buffalo Sabres and becoming mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.

There were a few decent performances, but for the most part the Jets fell flat and gave too much up to a team that is not really built effectively to perform either. The Sabres outscored the Jets 3-2 and out shot the Jets 29-20.

GAME THOUGHTS

Nikolaj Ehlers opened the scoring with an impressive goal coming down the right wing and passing Chad Johnson on the short side.
Andrew Copp gave the Jets some additional breathing room less than a minute later with a puck being deflected off a defender’s skates and into the net.
Hudson Fasching wanted to show that it wasn’t only the Jets’ rookies who could score, and scored a nice grinding goal while driving to the net.
The second period was eventful, despite no goals being scored. Mostly it was the Jets getting pinned in with a few exceptions of when the team had some talent on the ice.
Rookie talents extraordinaires Sam Reinhart and Jack Eichel each scored their own in the third, pulling the Sabres ahead and cementing the Jets’ fate.