Where have all the goals gone? Lack of scoring one reason for Jets’ losing skid By: Ken Wiebe Posted: 5:40 PM CST Friday, Dec. 1, 2023

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This article was published 01/12/2023 (675 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Why has the Winnipeg Jets’ offensive well run dry during the past three games?

That was the question of the day as the team went back to work after suffering a third consecutive regulation time defeat to slip to 12-8-2 on the season.

During the stretch, the Jets have been limited to just three goals — two coming on the power play.

For a team that has built a foundation on solid five-on-five play, finding the net just once at even strength was a bit of a surprise.

“You go through those times and it’s a matter of who works hard through those times and who dwells in the crap through those times,” said centre Mark Scheifele. “This will only make us stronger. This adversity only helps a team. We’ve just got to keep battling and keep working together and growing. That’s all we can do.”

The Jets continue a four-game homestand Saturday against Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Jets went into Friday’s NHL action 14th in goals per game, so it’s not like they’ve gone through an extended drought or anything.

Things get a bit amplified, however, when a team loses by a combined total of four goals during those games and is blanked in one of them.

The strange thing is the slide came right after the Jets extended a season-high winning streak to five games with their most complete effort of the season against the Florida Panthers last Friday.

Since, the Jets ran into a hot goalie in Juuse Saros against the Nashville Predators, Jake Oettinger played well and the Dallas Stars didn’t give up much defensively and the inability to find a second goal against Stuart Skinner proved costly against the Oilers.

It’s not like there’s been a dramatic stylistic change for the Jets either.

“I don’t think we’re gripping our stick extra tight or doing this or doing that differently,” said right-winger Mason Appleton. “It’s just kind of the nature of the league. I wouldn’t be surprised if we opened it up (Saturday) and scored four goals or something like that. It’s just how it is.

“Three games is a pretty small sample size, especially when we played these last two games, where we knew it was going to be a battle defensively and we had to manage those games. At the end of the day, we don’t need to blow teams out 5-2. We’re content with playing the game the right way and winning 2-1 or 3-2.”

Jets head coach Rick Bowness made it clear after Friday’s practice he’d like to get his blue-liners more involved in the offensive side of things.

“When I look at the game (Thursday), our defence were not even close to being involved enough,” said Bowness, who emphasized that part of the game during the workout. “They had four shots on goal and seven shot attempts. Edmonton had 30 shot attempts from their D. We gotta get our D involved. If you look at our O-zone numbers, they’re down because we’re not using the D enough.

“We are at our best offensively — defensively you can’t change — offensively, we are a far better team when our D are involved, both on the rush and getting them more involved in the cycle game.”

As for the Jets moving from tied for top spot in the Central Division to being chased by the St. Louis Blues and Arizona Coyotes for third place, Bowness explained it’s simply part of the spin cycle that is an 82-game season — using the Vegas Golden Knights and Boston Bruins as other examples of teams battling through a rough patch.

“Every team in this league will lose three in a row. Every team, unless you’re very, very lucky,” said Bowness. “You’re going to hit a spell where you’re not getting that timely goal, where you’re not getting that timely save and you fight your way through it.

“What can’t change is the way that we play. We play Winnipeg Jets hockey, no matter what, without the puck. With the puck, we can do better things.”

NOTES: Bowness said the Jets will be without forward Vladislav Namestnikov for at least one game and most likely two, as he sustained a lower-bod injury in the third period on Thursday. His absence opens the door for David Gustaffsson to return to the lineup after he sat out as a healthy scratch against the Oilers. Gabriel Vilardi is moving up to the second line with Cole Perfetti and Alex Iafallo. Perfetti will be back at centre, though he and Vilardi will be taking draws. The Jets are also making a change on defence, as Declan Chishom is set to suit up in his first game of the season after completing a six-game conditioning stint with the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League. Chisholm, who has two NHL games on his resume from the 2020-21 season, will replace Nate Schmidt on the third pairing with Dylan Samberg and is getting a shot on the second power play as well. Connor Hellebuyck gets the call in goal against the Blackhawks, while Laurent Brossoit could get his sixth start of the season on Monday night as the Jets close out a four-game homestand against the Carolina Hurricanes.

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

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