The Winnipeg Jets were in Vancouver tonight for the 2nd of 3 games against Pacific Division opponents on the road. After a 3-2 OT win in Seattle on Sunday, the Jets were looking to get another win towards mathematically clinching a playoff spot. Sitting at 98 points, the Jets had the chance to be the 1st team to 100 points in the regular season. The Jets found themselves down by 2 goals after the 1st, and the rest of the game they just couldn’t generate enough offence to get back in the game. Here’s how tonight’s game at Rogers Arena played out on this Tuesday night.

This game got off to a good pace, with both teams playing with speed. Shots on goal were only 2-1 Canucks after the first 4 minutes, but both teams were playing in a high gear. Just before the 5 minute mark, Teddy Blueger dropped one back to Quinn Hughes, who found an open Drew O’Connor who snapped one past Connor Hellebuyck. O’Connor’s 9th goal of the season gave the Canucks an early 1-0 lead.

A few minutes later, Hellebuyck made a rare misplay behind his net. Johnathan Lekkermaki got the puck and went for the wrap around into an empty net, but Hellebuyck made an incredible effort, diving across the net to make a big stick save along the ice. The save didn’t give the Jets much team momentum though, as they continued to be trailing in shots 6-3 halfway into the 1st period. The Jets offence finally got going after this point, starting to generate chances and winning puck retrieval battles on both ends of the ice.

After a few solid chances, the Jets tied up this game at 1, as Nikolaj Ehlers scored his 22nd of the season. Off the rush, Namestnikov found Ehlers, who came in with speed and wristed one up high past Kevin Lankinen. The Jets were rewarded for their last 5 good minutes of play, but 2 minutes later the Jets would be on the penalty kill after Haydn Fleury tripped Brock Boeser.

Unfortunately, the Jets lost the lead on the 1st Canucks powerplay. The Canucks deserve some credit for some good puck movement on this powerplay. Quinn Hughes slapped one on goal and it was perfectly deflected by Brock Boeser past Hellebuyck, giving the Canucks a 2-1 lead. Boeser’s goal was his 1st in 13 games, and the Jets were now looking to respond quickly. The Jets got caught off the rush just over 80 seconds later, as Boeser found Nils Hoglander off the rush, who wristed one just past Hellebuyck under his arm. The Jets found themselves down 3-1 after the 1st while trailing in shots on goal 9-6.

Looking for a strong start to the 2nd, the Jets couldn’t get any shots on goal in the first 5 minutes. Josh Morrissey went down the tunnel with an unknown injury, but was able to return just a few minutes later. Another injury scare happened shortly after Morrissey returned, as Dylan DeMelo went face first into the boards after a battle with Jake DeBrusk. Down a defenceman, the Jets got within 1 goal with their 2nd shot of the period. A point shot from Luke Schenn was redirected on the backhand by Alex Iafallo, who got just enough for the puck to roll into the net. Iafallo’s 11th of the season was a timely one, as the Jets looked to gain some momentum now down just 1.

Despite this good push from the Jets, it was the Canucks who would get the next goal with just over 6 minutes to play in the 2nd. Hoglander found Marcus Pettersson at the point who fired one on goal. A rare mistake from Hellebuyck ensued, as the puck was loose (not covered), and Boeser poked the puck through Hellebuyck’s legs, giving the Canucks a 4-2 lead.

Not even a minute later, the Jets went down 5-2. The Canucks just seemed to completely take over any momentum the Jets had when it was 3-2, and this led to another defensive lapse. Kiefer Sherwood got the puck from Jake DeBrusk, and found an open Pius Suter in front who wristed one quickly past Hellebuyck. That goal marked the 1st time Hellebuyck has allowed 5 goals in a game this season, but there wasn’t many of them to blame on him seeing how the rest of the team was playing.

The Jets got a late powerplay after Filip Hronek high sticked Gabriel Vilardi. This was a great opportunity for the Jets to get back within 2 before the period ended. The powerplay looked decent to start, and the man advantage became a 2 man advantage after Teddy Blueger accidentally sweeped the puck over the glass in his own zone. The Jets did some good puck movement, but couldn’t generate anything at the end of the 2nd. Shots in the 2nd were 9-7 Vancouver.

Entering the period on a powerplay, the Jets tried to get something going, but couldn’t generate any good chances. Like all season, the Jets weren’t going to go away without a fight, and that was clear throughout this 3rd period. The shots on goal were 4-2 Jets as the period approached the halfway mark, but the Jets continued to trail by 3 goals. As the period went on, the Jets began to catch up in shots, but Lankinen made some key saves for the Canucks.

The Jets almost made it a 5-3 game with 5 minutes left, but Derek Forbort played hero for the Canucks, stepping in the crease and stopping a good chance off the line, set up by the Jets 2nd line. With 2 and half minutes left, the Jets made one last late push at getting this game closer, pulling the goalie down 3. Scott Arniel called a timeout with 81 seconds to go, as the Jets continued to try to get at least one more goal before this one was over. The Jets led the shots on goal in the 3rd period 8-4, but couldn’t get another goal. This game ended 6-2 for the Canucks as Pius Suter scored his 20th of the season into an empty net with 3 seconds left. Final shots on goal were 22-21 for the Canucks.

Tonight was just one of those games that the Jets didn’t have “it”. A bit of a shaky start resulted in them being down 2 goals after the 1st, and the rest of the game resulted in them trying to play catch up. Hellebuyck wasn’t to blame for half of the goals, as there were some missed coverages and tough breaks throughout this game. The Jets will have to wait until Thursday night now to have another chance at reaching 100 points in the regular season. Another tough test awaits the Jets in Edmonton, where the Jets will clash with the Oilers at 8:00 pm CT. Check back here at Jets Nation for a pre-game preview and as always a recap on the latest Jets action.