Time for a tune-up

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This article was published 19/12/2024 (295 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A missed opportunity?

Absolutely.

The late-game breakdowns that saw the Winnipeg Jets grasp defeat from the hands of victory also represent a valuable learning opportunity for a team that was largely fortunate to earn a split on the two-game California swing that featured games against the San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks.

A red-hot power play helped mask some of the five-on-five deficiencies that crept up during the past two games, when the Jets stumbled out of the gate with extremely slow starts in both outings.

Now, this is one of those cases where two things can be true — it’s a fact the Jets were less than five minutes away from taking home four points, had a pair of late-game — and mostly uncharacteristic — breakdowns not occurred in the waning moments of the 3-2 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday.

With the Jets clinging to a 2-1 lead that featured a brilliant individual effort from Kyle Connor before Mark Scheifele ripped home a one-timer for his 18th goal of the season, Winnipeg was lined up for a defensive zone draw to the left of goalie Eric Comrie.

Ryan Strome won the draw cleanly, giving the Ducks possession. Frank Vatrano fired the puck from just inside the blue line with his shot changing direction off the stick of Jets centre Vladislav Namestnikov to even the score.

Then, with overtime less than 30 seconds away, Troy Terry dumped the puck into the Jets’ zone.

After Jets defenceman Haydn Fleury completed a routine D-to-D pass to Neal Pionk, Vatrano came up with a sneak attack and poked the puck off Pionk’s stick before he could make an outlet pass to Namestnikov.

That left Terry all alone in front and he deposited the puck in the net, leaving the Jets stunned after seeing a 2-1 lead turn into a 3-2 deficit with just under 26 seconds to go in the game.

This isn’t about singling out players in the blame game, it’s about shining a light on how the Jets’ attention to detail just isn’t as crisp as it was earlier in the season.

It would have been impossible to see the Jets continue humming along like they were when they were cruising with a 15-1 record.

There was always going to be a levelling off period and as the Jets prepare to welcome the Minnesota Wild to town on Saturday, it’s safe to say the Jets have some areas of their game they’ll need to clean up.

This isn’t sky-is-falling stuff either, it’s what coaches would refer to as regular maintenance.

To keep the engine running at peak efficiency, this group could use a bit of a tune-up.

An overhaul is certainly not required.

For the sake of providing context, the Jets have gone 5-2-1 during the past eight games — but with those outright losses coming to a pair of teams near the bottom of the standings (the Ducks and the Columbus Blue Jackets), it’s raised a few eyebrows.

Cause for concern?

Well, it’s probably too early for that, as the Jets haven’t made a habit of taking opponents lightly.

However, the intensity and level of competition is only going to rise with the season approaching its midway point.

The next ramping up period is just around the corner and then the sprint to the finish line will take place after the conclusion of the 4 Nations Face-Off, which is why this is the time of the year when the video sessions can provide some solutions to the issues that have popped up of late.

As Jets captain Adam Lowry said during a conversation in training camp, the Jets have taken tremendous strides when it comes to defensive commitment, turning an area of weakness into one of the team’s biggest strengths.

It’s not like the Jets have abandoned that style, there’s just been a little bit of erosion that has crept in.

Some poor puck management here, a blown assignment there and a casual play that ends up in the back of the net to round out this not-so-natural hat trick.

Hockey is a game of mistakes and there are times when those errors get magnified — especially in tight games.

Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said month that one of the best attributes the Jets had shown in the first quarter of the season was that they don’t beat themselves.

The statement was an accurate one, though those self-inflicted wounds have been a bit more prevalent as the Jets turned a 15-1 into an 8-9-1 stretch in the 18 games since the historic start.

The true measure of these Jets is that they probably belong somewhere in the middle of this tale of two seasons — and they’ve got plenty of time to show which version they are.

Of the six goals scored during the past two games, three of them came with the man-advantage that is back atop the NHL, operating at a 31.4 percent efficiency.

Although the Jets went into Thursday’s action third in the NHL in goals per game (3.62), the five-on-five production has dipped a bit, with the bulk of the offence generated by the Jets’ top line.

There’s nothing wrong with having a top line that is effective, but the Jets have been praised all season long for their depth up front and the offence that’s been chipped in by the defence.

Those are areas that could also use a boost — and the return of Nikolaj Ehlers on Wednesday should provide a lift as he gets back up to speed.

To play the aggressive style in all three zones that has led to much of the Jets’ success takes a committed, concerted effort.

To do that consistently over an 82-game marathon is a big ask, as it’s taxing both physically and mentally.

That’s the type of effort that is going to be required when the chips are down and with two games left against high-end opponents, the Jets are going to need to raise their level if they want to go into the holiday break on a high note.

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

X and Bluesky: @WiebesWorld