Exit winnin’, leave ’em grinnin’

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This article was published 03/04/2016 (3503 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It was as close to a perfect send-off as could be, given the Winnipeg Jets 2015-16 season.

A convincing 5-1 win over the Minnesota Wild Sunday was the final hurrah on home ice in the team’s 82-game campaign — one that has had more heartache than heart rushes such as the ones felt at this time last year.

Indeed, this night was in stark contrast to last season, where a late-season 2-0 win over the Wild helped kick-start a triumphant finish to the regular season as the Jets went on to win their final three games and earn a playoff berth.

Alas, Sunday was much different. Once the roars from fans faded and the sticks lowered from the centre-ice salute, it was back to reality for a team just three games from another long off-season. And not all saw the bright side of winning the final game at the MTS Centre, even if it did feel good to beat division rival Minnesota.

“I don’t know what to say. For me, (the game) wasn’t any different,” said Ondrej Pavelec, who made 28 saves in the win, just his 11th this season. “I think for our guys it wasn’t any different from another game. You want to win the game, but I don’t think this win is going to make our situation better. That’s the reality.”

The reality is gloomy. The victory improved the Jets to just 32-39-8, a record still good for last place in the division. On home ice Winnipeg finishes 18-19-4.

“It’s unfortunate the situation we’re in and obviously can’t control it anymore, but at the same time we can control what’s ahead of us,” said veteran forward Chris Thorburn. “(The fans) have been great. Throughout the course of the year there hasn’t been much to get too excited about as far as playing at home. They were there the last two minutes and we heard them.”

As lame as it may sound to suggest pride is still on the line, it’s true the Jets have taken what’s left of their depleted lineup and competed night in and night out, earning points in six of their last eight games. It won’t help fans hoping for a higher draft pick, but perhaps it does ease the pain for those to whom winning is what matters, no matter what time of year it is.

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“Our last two home games we’ve played with a lot of effort, a lot of emotion,” said coach Paul Maurice. “I think that’s out of respect for our fans, too.”

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.catwitter: @jeffkhamilton

Jeff Hamilton
Multimedia producer

Jeff Hamilton is a sports and investigative reporter. Jeff joined the Free Press newsroom in April 2015, and has been covering the local sports scene since graduating from Carleton University’s journalism program in 2012. Read more about Jeff.

Every piece of reporting Jeff produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.