PK far from OK… in fact it stinks

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This article was published 30/12/2019 (2077 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ST. LOUIS — The only thing the Winnipeg Jets have been killing lately while short-handed are their chances of winning a hockey game.

Mired in a dreadful stretch, the Jets need to find a way to inject some life in their penalty kill. They’ve given up nine power-play goals over their past eight games on just 18 chances, an abysmal 50 per cent rate. Overall, they are just 74.4 per cent on the season, last in the 31-team NHL.

“First and foremost, I blame myself. I’ve been out there for way too many penalty kill goals. Structure-wise, I think the coaches are doing a good job. Myself personally, I’ve got to get the job done. I see the guy coming across the front of the net and I’ve got to pick him up,” defenceman Neal Pionk said following Sunday’s 4-1 loss to St. Louis.

Pionk allowed Robert Thomas to get open and score on an early third-period power play that put his team up by a pair and snuffed out any real hopes the Jets had of a comeback.

While it was somewhat noble to fall on the sword, this isn’t a case of just one player being responsible. From goaltenders Connor Hellebuyck and Laurent Brossoit to the defencemen and forwards deployed on the kill, the entire group has been lacklustre lately.

“I think we just need to bear down. Be a little more confident in our reads. We know what we’re doing, so just execute that,” forward Nick Shore said.

Easier said than done, sure. But the Jets might want to start scheduling some extra on-ice and video sessions because they aren’t going very far at this rate.

Fortunately, Winnipeg remains one of the least-penalized teams in the league.

On Sunday, for example, they took just two minors but still gave up the one critical goal.

“Like anything, if you get a bunch in a row, you get some confidence under your belt, and that way, you don’t even think. You’re making your own reads and you’re fine,” Pionk said.

There’s no question injuries to Bryan Little and Andrew Copp have left a mark, as both were vital parts of the penalty kill. Neither are expected back anytime soon, so it’s on the rest of the group to get it figured out. Whether it’s a change in personnel or systems, something has to give.

“One by one. One by one. Getting into the game, and it will get faster and stronger as you get one, knock one down, feel good about it, a little stronger,” head coach Paul Maurice said of how to get the confidence back up.

In the case of the Blues, who also went one-for-two in Friday night’s 5-4 overtime victory at Bell MTS Place, that means finding a way to get the puck.

“They’re a good face-off team, so it was more zone time built into their power play. They’ve got lots of good, skilled players,” Maurice said.

Montreal also went one-for-two last Monday as the Jets were thumbed 6-2 on home ice. The last “perfect” game they had was against Minnesota on Dec. 21, when the Jets killed off all three minors in a 6-0 victory. But in the run prior to that, Chicago went one-for-two, and Carolina went two-for-two, Philadelphia went one-for-one and Detroit went two-for-four.

Not surprisingly, the Jets have just two wins in those past eight games.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg