Jets’ tailspin continues with 3-0 loss to lowly Sharks

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This article was published 29/03/2023 (937 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Facing the NHL’s worst team and with the heat cranked up after their two closest pursuers both won earlier in the night, the supposedly desperate Winnipeg Jets came out Tuesday night with all the urgency of a Sunday afternoon leisure skate and the execution of a Friday night beer league gathering.

The end result was a horrendous and truly embarrassing 3-0 loss to the San Jose Sharks that puts a well-deserved dent in their increasingly bleak playoff hopes.

“There comes a point when your personal pride has to take over,” an obviously frustrated Jets coach Rick Bowness told reporters on the scene at SAP Center. “If someone has to go in there and point that out to them, then there is a big problem right there. We’re going to find out what we’re made of and we’re going to find out what everyone in that room is made of over the next little while.”

Winnipeg is now 41-31-3 and clinging to the final Western Conference wildcard spot, but with just a two point advantage over the Calgary Flames (who beat the Los Angeles Kings) and a three-point cushion over the Nashville Predators (who beat the league-leading Boston Bruins). The Jets and Flames have seven games left. The Predators have nine.

Although they technically still control their fate — winning out would get them in — their recent play doesn’t inspire any confidence. The Jets are now just 7-12-2 in their last 21 games. They have also been held off the scoreboard in three of their last seven contests as scoring, whether it be five-on-five or on the ice cold power play, remains a major problem.

“Well, I’d say we created enough scoring chances. The offence gave us a chance to win the game, we just didn’t score,” said Bowness.

“Then the inconsistencies with some of our players is hurting us. Some of these guys think they’re giving us everything in their tank, they’re dreaming. We have a lot of guys in there giving us everything they can. We just need a few more guys to jump on board.”

This one really stings considering the opponent. The sad-sack Sharks now have two wins in their last 16 games. And both have come against the Jets. Overall, they are 20-39-15 on the year.

Yeah, it was bad. Real bad. Let’s break it down further.

1. James Reimer has made plenty of headlines lately, as the Morweena, Manitoba native refused to wear a Pride jersey with his teammates during a pre-game warmup. He cited his Christian beliefs, joining a handful of other players around the league to refuse participation in the LGBTTQ+ events.

His play has been ugly at times, too, with a bloated 3.40 goals-against-average and .891 save-percentage.

However, the 35-year-old pending free agent clearly likes to face his hometown club. He stopped all 41 shots he faced on Tuesday night for his 28th career shutout. Reimer also turned aside 36 of 38 shots in the 3-2 overtime victory at Canada Life Centre on March 6.

“(Reimer) made some big saves,” said defenceman Dylan DeMelo.

“A lot of looks. A lot of chances. I don’t know if we’re gripping it right now. Tough to win when you can’t score or not able to pot ‘em in. We’re working. Guys are trying. We had net-front traffic and tips and scrambles off that, backdoor passes, stuff like that. We’re getting quality looks. We had quality looks today, for sure. They’re just not going in for us.”

Highlights include a spectacular paddle stop off Mason Appleton in the second period and a shorthanded breakaway denial of Adam Lowry in the final frame. He also got some help from his posts, with birthday boy Josh Morrissey blasting one off the pipe, and Kyle Connor grazing iron late in the game.

Reimer was good, for sure. But we’re not letting the Jets off the hook quite that easily.

2. Giving up the first goal, and getting scored on early, have been major issues for the Jets lately. And it continued when Noah Gregor opened the scoring at 9:51 of the first period, seconds after an Appleton slashing penalty had expired.

It’s the 12th time in the last 14 games Winnipeg has fallen behind 1-0.

Kevin Labanc (2:23 of the third) and Martin Kaut (17:57 of the third on the power play) added some insurance that ultimately wasn’t needed.

“Obviously it’s tough for goals to come by. We’re pretty cold right now,” said Mark Scheifele.

“Is there things I think we could do differently, for sure. But like I said before, we’re in the thick of it. When confidence is low and you’re cold, you grip the stick a little tighter.”

3. There was plenty of focus on Scheifele coming into this game. Winnipeg’s top centre, who has been extremely quiet both on and off the ice lately, is struggling mightily.

Bowness moved Nikolaj Ehlers off the line with him and Blake Wheeler, putting Vladislav Namestnikov in his place. The hope was to get Scheifele shooting the puck more, something the 38-goal scorer hasn’t done much of during what is now a nine-game drought. (Three of his five games this year without a shot on goal have come in that span).

So how did Scheifele respond? With no shots in the first two periods, and a brutal turnover (along with some help from Wheeler) early in the third that led to Labanc’s goal.

Scheifele did put three pucks on Reimer from that point on, but it was much too little, much too late.

“I think it’s tough. Sometimes they go in, sometimes they don’t. Obviously right now the pressure mounts, for sure,” said Scheifele.

“You just gotta know there’s a plan for everything. I just gotta try to keep on working hard, try to keep my head up and stay positive. And that goes for every guy in this room. We gotta stay positive for each other. We gotta continue to go to work.”

4. Speaking of Ehlers, the way Bowness has been using him is a source of mystery and, for many fans, anger.

The speedy, skilled winger is an offensive dynamo when he’s on his game. But his ice time has been greatly reduced. He played just 13:50 on Tuesday (seventh among forwards) while skating with Lowry and Appleton on what is essentially the third line. Despite that, he tied for the team-high with four shots.

Perhaps he truly isn’t back up to speed after missing close to three months of action with a sports hernia. But on a team that is starving for scoring, it’s a curious deployment to say the least .

“Nik missed a couple shifts. What happens sometimes is when I send Kevin (Stenlund) out to take the face-off on the right side, and Adam (Lowry) is on left wing, and sometimes we don’t get it out. That’s why I tried to get Nik as much ice time in the third as possible,” Bowness explained.

5. Of course, it would help if the power play could wake up from a prolonged slumber. But another 0-for-2 performance against the Sharks leaves them just one for the last 28 chances.

“We’re paid to produce, so we have to produce. That’s the simplest way to put it,” said Scheifele.

“You know, me especially, I’ve got to score goals, I’ve got to make plays, I’ve got to create opportunities offensively, create some good chances and some goals. We need more of it. We need plays, we need to handle the puck better, we need to do a lot better. That starts with me.”

6. The Jets now limp back to town, having played eight of the past 10 games on the road, to begin the final five-game homestand of the year. It starts Friday night against the Detroit Red Wings, continues Sunday against New Jersey, and then really gets spicy with visits from the Flames (Apr. 5), Predators (Apr. 8) and those stubborn Sharks (Apr. 10). The final two games of the year will then follow in enemy territory against Minnesota and Colorado.

“You know, we’re in the thick of it,” said DeMelo. “We’re in the fire and that’s where things are moulded. That has to be the message. We’ve got to keep fighting and fighting for every inch and don’t back down. We have a two-day break, which is nice here again, to get some rest and we’ve gotta be ready on Friday.”

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg