WINNIPEG – It is a fine line these Winnipeg Jets are straddling these days.
In many ways, they’ve been starting to stack the type of games that would put them in position to secure a berth in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
They’ve shown some stability in terms of structure, though some of the mistakes that are getting made are still proving to be costly and ending up in the back of the net.
Since dropping seven of eight games (1-5-2), strides are being taken, even if the results have been mixed.
The latest example came on Thursday night, as the Jets fell 3-0 to the league-leading Boston Bruins, which leaves them with just two wins over the past six games (2-4) as they slipped to 38-28-3 overall.
“It’s really disappointing. We need these points. They’re so critical right now and we’re almost scoreboard watching every night right now,” said Jets forward Adam Lowry. “So, it would have been nice to see a few of those go in. I thought for the most part we played a really solid game.”
But that’s where the tough part comes in.
Lowry is correct in his assessment – this was a really solid game for the Jets, for the most part.
Other than the even-strength goals allowed to Trent Frederic (in the opening minute) and Pavel Zacha (on a high shot over the shoulder of Connor Hellebuyck) and the late empty-netter to Tomas Nosek, the Jets had plenty to hang their hat on in terms of both effort and execution.
The Frederic goal was the result of a heavy forecheck by Charlie Coyle and a coverage lapse that allowed Tyler Bertuzzi to find Frederic alone in front), but the scoring chances were even in this game and were it not for a couple of pucks rattling of the iron, the conversation could be different.
Instead, the Jets must trust the process, clean a couple of things up and shift the focus to the final 13 games of the regular season.
“There are no real moral victories at this point of the season, right?” said Lowry. “But I think it’s just the forecheck and the way we were able to create those chances. Take those positives and move them going forward into the game against Nashville. That’s going to be a huge game. We know where they are in the standings and, fortunately, we got a little bit of help (Thursday) with Chicago winning.
“But they have some games in hand and we play them a couple times, so we can kind of control our fate there. It’s going to be kind of one of those games where you have to limit the chances like we did tonight and just stick with it. I think for the most part if we keep forechecking like we have been in the last couple of weeks, more often than not we’re going to come out on the right side.”
With the cushion on that playoff spot dwindling to a mere three points over the Calgary Flames, and four points over the Nashville Predators (who hold three games in hand) going into a critical head-to-head battle on Saturday afternoon in Music City, the only scoreboard watching that will be required is on the one inside Bridgestone Arena.
“Both teams will be very desperate. That’s the mentality that’s going to be there,” said Jets head coach Rick Bowness, noting that Pierre-Luc Dubois will travel with the team on this two-game road trip that also includes a game against the St. Louis Blues. “There had better be a lot of urgency in every shift and every detail that we talk about. The urgency and the desperation, it has to be there.”
Much of the conversation surrounding the Bruins following the morning skate revolved around this recent malaise, one that included consecutive losses and dropping three of the last four.
By the time the night was over, the Bruins were celebrating a night when they were opportunistic and got excellent goaltending from Jeremy Swayman, who recorded his third shutout of the season.
There’s a reason they’ve been the gold standard in the NHL this season and why they’ve already clinched a playoff spot and are cruising towards the Presidents’ Trophy.
“They play the same way whether they’re up two, down two, first period, third period, all four of their lines, they check will, they have good sticks. Their structure and they find ways to just wear you down,” said Dillon. “It’s frustrating because I think you can play well for 55 minutes and all it takes is a couple of shifts to lose a game. Unfortunately, (with) our start, they kind of get one and then two and you’re chasing it for the rest of the night. We had some chances to score. We just couldn’t get it to go.”
One of the storylines going into the contest revolved around how the top trio of Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor and Nino Niederreiter would respond to a second-period benching that lasted nearly 12 minutes.
Although they were on the ice for the first goal against, the line was the most dangerous offensively for the Jets, combining for 16 shots on goal and 25 shot attempts – a clear and important step forward for a trio that’s going to need to help fuel the offence during the stretch run.
With the tension starting to rise and things getting tighter in the Western Conference standings, it’s imperative for the Jets to pull together and that’s exactly what they plan to do.
“Overall, we’ve got each other’s backs. Nobody is getting on each other in here, which is a good sign because it’s easy to get frustrated when we’ve played well,” said Dillon. “We have to find a way.”
But will they?
That’s the multi-million dollar question.