‘It happened at a bad time’

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This article was published 12/03/2015 (3838 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

PLANTATION, Fla. — The Winnipeg Jets will wake up today to the sound of crashing waves and with the warmth of the Florida sun offering a welcome change after a long Winnipeg winter.

They’ll also still be above the line in the Western Conference playoff race.

Positive thoughts must slowly come to the surface after a night and a day of mulling over a disastrous defeat.

Tuesday’s 5-4 loss to the St. Louis Blues has the potential to become a defining moment for the Jets if they can’t find new hope.

Forward Michael Frolik has been among Winnipeg’s most consistent and best players of late with points in seven consecutive games and 16 goals on the season. He says the focus now needs to be on the Florida Panthers and tonight’s game (7:30 p.m., TSN3, TSN 1290).

“Yeah, you know what, that loss kind of hurts, definitely. It was a bad loss, but we proved that we can come back when we’re down in a game, and you definitely want to take it from there. Yeah, it was a good comeback,” he said. “Obviously it hurts, but today’s a new day. We had a meeting today, and just make sure we are getting ready for Thursday.

“We had a meeting today and had some teaching clips. I think that’s the point, when you want to learn from it and put it behind you, and make sure today you relax and take some rest, and make sure the mindset and everything is going to be ready for the next game.”

For goalie Ondrej Pavelec, moving on may prove a little more difficult.

Pavelec had an edge to his tone and was as much defiant as anything else in his description of Tuesday’s shot heard round Winnipeg.

Pavelec was victimized by a what was half dump in, half shot with just over a minute left in Tuesday’s loss.

Veteran Blues defenceman Barret Jackman swatted the puck towards the Jets net from just inside the red-line and it inexplicably found it’s way to the back of the net.

The Jets climbed back from a 4-1 deficit in the third period to even things at 4-4 and appeared destined to at least collect a point on the night. Instead the Jets boarded their jet to Florida in a sour mood and sitting just one point ahead of the Los Angeles Kings in the Western Conference wild card standings.

“I thought (Jackman) was going to dump it in, (Jets defenceman Jacob) Trouba was right between us and I lost the puck in the stands and it just went in. Stuff like that happens, it happened at a bad time,” said Pavelec, who came into the game midway through the second period after starter Michael Hutchinson had allowed four goals on seven shots.

There was some debate on Tuesday night whether the puck had hit Trouba and changed direction but Pavelec said he didn’t think that was the case. After the game in St. Louis, Pavelec elected not to talk with the media.

“I didn’t want to, because I knew I would talk to you guys today. To be honest, you’re not in the mood to talk to the media after that happens. I knew I was going to talk to you guys today, I didn’t see it as a big deal,” he said.

For Jets fans the loss was an emotional roller-coaster as they glumly watched their team fall behind by three goals and then got their hopes up again in the third as their team equalled the score at 4-4 on Blake Wheeler’s short-handed effort.

Pavelec played a major role in the comeback, making a number of key saves while the Jets killed off four third-period power plays. But the goalie said he wasn’t frustrated by the final outcome.

“Listen, I didn’t play for three weeks, I was sitting on the bench for three weeks. I just went in when it was 4-1, I was just trying to have fun, enjoy the game. I was happy I was in the game. But obviously what happened, happened, I’m not the last guy that this has happened to. But like I said before, it happened at a bad time.”

Pavelec says he’s already put the loss behind him.

“You have no choice. I’ve been in this league long enough to understand you’re not going to change what happened,” said the six-year NHL veteran. “I’m just looking forward and I’ll be ready for our next practice. That’s pretty much all you can do.”

Jets coach Paul Maurice said the loss was difficult to shake off but if he can use it as a learning tool for his team, that will be his approach.

“Yeah, you deal with it and move on. It’s tough to claw back there and have it go away from you the way it did, and we’ve got a game tomorrow night,” he said. “If you can use it to bring that real strong level that we’ve done real well this year, then sure.”

Maurice wouldn’t tip his hand as to who would be in net for his team tonight when the Jets meet the Florida Panthers but he says it’s an easy choice. Maurice has started Hutchinson in seven consecutive games and 14 of the last 18.

“Yeah, I’ve got my guy picked and I’ll tell you tomorrow,” he said. “I don’t know that if you have the other scenarios go a different way and we win that game — is that a more difficult decision? I don’t feel it’s a pretty difficult one right now. I’m pretty clear on who’s starting.”

gary.lawless@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @garylawless