Jets 2.0 still in search of first win in Pittsburgh

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This article was published 27/02/2016 (3507 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

PITTSBURGH — Winnipeg Jets defenceman Jacob Trouba has never won a game in Pittsburgh — and neither have any of his teammates on a Jets team that has yet to win here in its 2.0 incarnation.

A 4-1 loss here to the Penguins on Saturday means the Jets are still looking for their first win in Pittsburgh in five seasons.

So what’s so tough about playing in Pittsburgh? Well, the Penguins for starters, said Trouba.

“It is a tough place to play and a tough team to play. There’s a lot of offensive skill and they don’t need many opportunities to put the puck in the net. It’s a tough building to come into.”

The Jets played a scoreless first period with the Penguins and had plenty of scoring chances in the second and third periods before the game got away from them.

But there was no talking silver linings with Jets head coach Paul Maurice Saturday night. “That’s all fine. But that’s a dangerous theme when we’re talking an awful lot about the offence we get but we don’t score.

“We’re going to have to defend better than that. Our goaltender made two or three great saves in that game. But I think three of those goals — we’ve got to learn to play a little better defensively.”

The Penguins also missed some scoring chances — Phil Kessel hit a post while Sidney Crosby was robbed by Jets goaltender Michael Hutchinson on a wide open net.

But the difference is the Penguins buried the rest of their chances and have the kind of offensive finish that the Jets have never had — and especially not now after a week that saw Winnipeg lose both Bryan Little to injury and Andrew Ladd to a trade.

“We got caught a couple times, gave them a couple of odd man rushes and they made the most of those opportunities,” said Blake Wheeler, who accounted for all the Jets offence with his team-leading 18th goal of the season in the second period.

“From there we’re playing from behind and it’s tough playing on the road from behind against a team like this.”

A disallowed goal by Trouba late in the second period that would have tied the game stung. “I don’t know it changed the emotion of the game,” said Maurice, “but it changed the score and changed the pressure point for us. To be able to have tied that would have been real important for the style of game that was being played.”

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Trouba was philosophical. “That’s how the game goes now. You’ve got to bury your chances.”

The Jets loss to Pittsburgh came after an emotional 6-3 win over the Dallas Stars Thursday that followed the twin announcements that day that Ladd had been traded and Little was out for the season.

But that Jets win in Dallas — as impressive as it was in trying circumstances — stands as the only victory for Winnipeg in their last six games as this team spirals its way into March.

email: paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @PaulWiecek