West Coast stumble

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This article was published 21/12/2016 (3256 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

VANCOUVER — The Winnipeg Jets had a golden opportunity Tuesday night to do two things: win a third game in a row for the first time this season and finally get the club’s record back to .500.

Former Manitoba Moose winger Jannik Hansen had other ideas.

Hansen scored twice for the Vancouver Canucks — his fourth and fifth goals of the season — to turn what was a 1-0 Jets lead after the first period into a 2-1 Vancouver lead early in the third in what would be a 4-1 Canucks win by night’s end.

The game-winner came at 3:19 of the third period when a long wrist shot from the blue line by Hansen found its way through traffic and behind Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck.

Vancouver added an insurance marker three minutes later, when Sven Baertschi got loose on a breakaway and beat Hellebuyck. Canucks forward Bo Horvat scored into an open net with little more than two minutes remaining to complete the scoring.

The loss dropped Winnipeg’s record to 15-17-3, which now means whatever the Jets do Thursday in the rematch against the Canucks, they will head into the Christmas break with a record below .500.

Second-period woes

The Jets’ problems in the second period this season have become legion and were once again on display Tuesday.

After dominating the first period and taking a 1-0 lead on a power-play marker by Blake Wheeler at 14:08, it was a completely different team that came out for the second period.

Vancouver controlled the play from the outset of the middle frame, and it quickly became apparent it was just a matter of time before the Canucks would get the equalizer.

It finally came midway through the period as the Sedin twins worked the puck deep in the Jets zone and Hansen got loose in the slot and let a one-timer go that beat Hellebuyck at 9:18.

With that goal, the Jets have been outscored a mind-boggling 48-23 in the second period this season.

Wheeler’s goal is the first for the Jets power-play unit in four games.

Laine being Laine

Jets rookie phenom Patrik Laine was once again the centre of media attention Tuesday.

Just like everywhere else the Jets travel, the local media surrounded Laine’s locker after the morning skate looking for some bon mots from one of the league’s most quotable players.

Laine didn’t disappoint.

Asked about the source of his famous self-confidence — a popular theme in media scrums in other cities — Laine was, as always, blunt.

“I know what I’m capable of and how good I am, and I don’t think that’s a bad thing,” Laine told reporters. “People can think what they want, but I know how good I am and I’m not afraid to say it.”

There was nothing new in what Laine said. He’s been saying similarly brash things since the world championship last spring — and then backing them up on the ice.

But it was new to the B.C. media and the customary follow-up with Jets head coach Paul Maurice was predictable.

Asked by a reporter if he’d ever seen a player with as much “swagger” as Laine, Maurice demurred.

“I don’t pick up any of that,” said the coach. “I don’t see any of it. My take is he’s very, very humble about his game. He’s matter of fact about his game. And you have to understand while his English is good, it’s difficult when you’re learning a new language to be subtle at times or find a different way to answer a question.

“He’s very direct and honest.”

Next up

The teams complete a rare two-game set Thursday in the rematch at Rogers Arena.

While the Canucks are also below .500, at 14-16-3, they will head into Thursday resurgent, earning five out of a possible six points in their last three games.

paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @PaulWiecek