Jets burned by Flames in final minute

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This article was published 21/02/2022 (1299 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CALGARY — There are no points for trying in the National Hockey League, and while the Winnipeg Jets put forth a valiant effort against a formidable foe, they left town empty-handed in a game they let slip away in dramatic fashion.

Tied 1-1 on the road against a Calgary Flames team atop the Pacific Division, Elias Lindholm tipped home a Johnny Gaudreau shot that grazed the left post and narrowly squeezed by the pad of Connor Hellebuyck with 47 seconds remaining on the clock. Tyler Toffoli would add an empty-net goal before time expired, sealing a 3-1 victory for the Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome Monday afternoon.

The goal was reviewed by the NHL’s command centre to see if Matthew Tkachuk had interfered with Hellebuyck, but Tkachuk was cleared of any wrongdoing and the goal was upheld. Hellebuyck was visibly upset with the call and wasn’t available post-game.

“As a group, we’re disappointed. We made a mistake and it ended up in the back of the net,” Jets interim head coach Dave Lowry said. “We played a real solid, committed team game and there should be disappointment.”

Prior to the game-winning goal, the Jets had generated some quality scoring opportunities but were unable to convert. The play turned the other way, where Kyle Connor mishandled a breakout pass just inside the Jets blue line, resulting in a turnover and the clinching marker by Lindholm.

Lindholm had just been named the NHL’s first star of the week, after registering four goals and four assists in three games. His tally on Monday was his 23rd goal and 49th point in 49 games this season.

“The ups and downs, we can do a better job of dictating how the game’s played and not letting the other team be the game managers,” Pierre-Luc Dubois said. “We have to win games. We have to find a way here down the stretch. At his point of the year, it’s about wins.”

The Flames have been doing just that; Monday was the team’s 10th straight victory, a streak dating back to late January. Calgary improved to 30-13-6 and sit four points up on the Vegas Golden Knights for first place in the division.

The Jets haven’t been nearly as consistent this season, making the loss even tougher to swallow. Winnipeg dropped to 22-20-8, and are fifth in the Central Division, seven points back of the final Western Conference playoff spot.

What makes matters worse is things don’t get much easier in the final three games of their current four-game road trip. The Jets travelled to Dallas after the game, where they’ll play the Stars on Wednesday before battling the Colorado Avalanche Friday and Arizona Coyotes on Monday.

“It’s hard. Guys were bummed in the room,” defenceman Nate Schmidt said. “You want to come in and start off a road trip the right way, but you can’t let it affect the next three games. We play three good teams. We’re going into Dallas, a team we’re chasing down; we go into Colorado, the best team in the league. It’s something where you got to look forward to these next two, but you have to understand that we have to start accumulating (points).”

The Stars (27-20-2) are four points ahead of the Jets, with one game in hand, while the Avalanche (36-10-4) pace the NHL with 76 points. While those games will be a challenge, the Jets can’t afford to continue to take anyone easily if they hope to make the playoffs.

Even the Coyotes (13-33-4), who are second-last among the NHL’s 32 teams, have had the Jets number this year, splitting the season-series one game apiece. When you consider Winnipeg hasn’t exactly impressed at the end of road trips, with just two wins in nine games (2-3-4), the task ahead is a heavy one.

“We’ll learn from this and get better. With the games and how quick they’re coming, we have to put this one behind us,” Lowry said. “You have to understand we played a solid road game, and we’ll have to just be prepared and ready to go into Dallas.”

Generating better starts has been a particular focus for Lowry, and on Monday the Jets had a glorious opportunity to dictate the pace early with a pair of power plays within the first five minutes of the game. Instead, Winnipeg was unable to capitalize, registering just two shots on goal, and finished the game 0-for-3 with the man-advantage.

While the Jets penalty kill played well, finishing 1-for-4, its lone blemish led to Calgary’s opening goal, with Sean Monahan putting the Flames up 1-0 just over a minute into the second period. Monahan cradled a pass near the left circle before firing a shot over the glove of Hellebuyck, marking the sixth straight game the Jets have allowed the game’s first goal.

Winnipeg answered back later in the period with a goal from Dominic Toninato, who tipped a Neal Pionk shot from the blue line past Jacob Markstrom. The goal by Toninato, who logs limited minutes on the fourth line, extended his point streak to three games.

Calgary appeared to take a 2-1 lead later in the second period, but a successful offside challenge by the Jets negated the goal by Lindholm. Lindholm would have the last laugh, however, his game-winner snatching away what appeared to be at least a much-needed single point for the Jets.

“You look at this game and there’s a lot of stuff that you could say we could build off of, except for the score,” Schmidt said. “Unfortunately, it is a results-based business.”

The Jets are still without forwards Nikolaj Ehlers and Andrew Copp, as well as rookie forward Cole Perfetti, who was added to injured reserve Monday. As a result, Winnipeg native Adam Brooks, who was claimed on waivers Friday, made his Jets debut, playing on a line with Dubois and Kyle Connor.

Jeff.Hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @jeffkhamilton