Feeble firepower costs Jets

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This article was published 12/03/2015 (3837 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

SUNRISE, Fla. — One night the Winnipeg Jets can’t defend or keep the puck out of the net, and the next they can’t find a way to generate offence. Predictably, wins are more and more difficult to come by. And the timing for this slump couldn’t be worse.

The Jets fell 4-2 to the Florida Panthers on Thursday night but they kept it close only because they put away the limited chances they had on goalie Dan Ellis.

Prior to all of Thursday night’s scheduled NHL games, the Jets sat in the final Western Conference wild card berth with 78 points.

Winnipeg has now lost three of its last four games, rapidly thinning a once-healthy margin above the playoff line.

The shots were 20-20 Thursday, but Florida’s scoring chances were far superior and it was the more dangerous team all night.

The Jets didn’t get to the front of the net very often, and when they did, Ellis didn’t seem pressed.

Winnipeg never seemed in control of this game and Florida danced around the Jets’ zone with regularity. Jets goalie Michael Hutchinson had an uneven game. He made some big saves but he also allowed a marginal goal early in the contest.

Jets coach Paul Maurice has rarely talked about offence this season, always preferring to focus on the defensive side of the game. But he pointed out his club’s inability to generate chances after the game.

“It was a tough game to move the puck. For both teams, not a lot was had. There were some strange plays around our net and then a tough one at the end,” said Maurice.

“You’d always like more offence, wouldn’t you? But we were a little challenged in what we’re going to be able to generate here. So we’re going to have to keep our games tight.”

Asked why his team was having trouble creating offence, Maurice delivered a pointed reply.

“Three (Bryan Little, Dustin Byfuglien and Mathieu Perreault) of our top five offensive players are out of the lineup,” he said. “We pay those guys that kind of money for a reason.”

This is the rub for the Jets. Their offence was lifeless on Thursday and the three players Maurice mentioned aren’t coming back anytime soon. Byfuglien and Perreault are weeks away from a return and Little has been skating on his own on this trip but has not taken any contact.

The Jets are going to have to find a way to completely turn off their opponents’ offensive tap. The lineup is challenged and there’s no superhero in goal to cover up mistakes.

Twenty shots on Dan Ellis? The game plan had to be to get pucks on him and see what popped loose. But the Jets weren’t able to execute and they gave him an easy night.

The goals

Florida scored first as Derek MacKenzie dove at a crossing pass and re-directed it past Hutchinson. Jets centre Mark Scheifele countered with a hot wrist shot early in the second period.

But Winnipeg gave up a late period power-play goal to Brad Boyes on a goal-mouth scramble for a 2-1 Panthers lead after two.

The Jets’ winless record when trailing after two periods was stretched to 0-19-4 after Drew Stafford tied the affair at 2-2 on Aleksander Barkov’s winner. Nick Bjugstad added an empty netter.

Mr. Underrated

Boy, do the Jets miss centre Bryan Little. Little has been out for three games now and his absence is obvious. Little generates so much offence both in 5-on-5 situations and on the power play.

The Jets offence looks lifeless without him out of the lineup. Add in the fact defenceman Dustin Byfuglien is also injured right now and the Jets are lacking their usual offensive punch and it’s beginning to show.

Injury update

Jets defenceman Tyler Myers slid into the end boards midway through the second period and went to the dressing room for treatment.

Myers returned to the ice prior to the beginning of the third period and took short twirl on the ice before heading to the dressing room.

Shortly after the Jets announced he was done for the night with an upper-body injury.

Trouba time

Jets second-year blue-liner Jacob Trouba is playing some of his best hockey these days and it all stems from confidence and anticipation. Trouba seems to know what’s about to happen just before it does and then acts decisively. Trouba is rapidly becoming one of Winnipeg’s most important players.

Excellent Ekblad

Most of the Calder Trophy talk has been focused on Nashville Predators’ rookie-of-the-year candidate Filip Forsberg, but Panthers’ first-year defenceman Aaron Ekblad is having a fine season of his own. Ekblad has 11 goals and 23 assists and paired with veteran Brian Campbell is showing composure and confidence.

 

gary.lawless@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @garylawless

 

 

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