Jets know they have to play to higher standard after Dallas debacle

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This article was published 01/03/2024 (580 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

RALEIGH, N.C. — When the standard starts to slip, how is it restored before erosion sets in?

That’s pretty much the question the Winnipeg Jets have been left to sort through as they prepare to face the Carolina Hurricanes with a rare 11:30 a.m. CT start on Saturday at PNC Arena.

Fresh off a lopsided 4-1 loss to the Dallas Stars in a first-place showdown in the Central Division, the Jets are left to try to pick themselves up off the mat as they search for the consistency that has been their calling card for much of this season.

It’s not to say the Jets have gone into a tailspin or have forgotten how to play, but there have simply been far too many self-inflicted wounds that have occurred during the past several weeks.

“We know that we’re better than we showed (Thursday) night,” Jets head coach Rick Bowness after putting his team through the paces in Dallas before departing for North Carolina. “We’re playing another great team (Saturday) and we just have to raise our game to the level we’re accustomed to playing.”

After getting away with some of them in stacking seven wins during the previous eight games prior to facing the Stars, simply identifying the correctable mistakes isn’t enough anymore.

Now it’s a matter of raising the standard and executing at a level that eliminates or at least minimizes those issues.

The Jets are hoping that a humbling loss like this one to the Stars can play a role in the process.

“Absolutely. It’s a hard league to win in, in the first place. And then, obviously you’re going to go through some stretches where you should be winning and then you lose games,” said Jets winger Nino Niederreiter “Lately, we’ve been winning games which we shouldn’t necessarily have won. That’s something that keeps us honest. Playing a team like Dallas, who is going to be a contender for the Stanley Cup here, they set the bar pretty high and it’s something that we’ve got to look up to.”

Turning the page is something that gets discussed all of the time, but the cliche was created for times like these.

“You still have to make sure that you’re ready to go in the next game. If you don’t, this league will chew you up,” said Jets defenceman Nate Schmidt. “If you allow yourself to get down on a game, it really does affect your next day and the day after that. It takes a special mindset to understand what today is — and today is not only a reset of not only your body getting on the ice, but your mind saying ‘OK, I didn’t forget how to play hockey in 24 hours. I didn’t forget to know the things that have made me successful. You can’t forget those types of things, so that when you do look at today on the whole, you can get yourself in a better frame of mind for tomorrow.”

“We know that we’re better than we showed (Thursday) night.”–Head coach Rick Bowness

Bowness said the plan is to start Connor Hellebuyck on Saturday against the Hurricanes and have Laurent Brosssoit between the pipes on Sunday as the Jets close out the three-game swing.

The Jets will have a number of game-time decisions as forwards Gabriel Vilardi, Sean Monahan, Nikolaj Ehlers and Mason Appleton all missed Friday’s workout for maintenance.

Vilardi didn’t take a shift in the third period of Thursday’s game and remains questionable, though Bowness said he was hopeful.

Bowness liked what he saw from Vladislav Namestnikov on the top line with Mark Schefiele, so that’s a group you could see start together if Vilardi is unavailable on Saturday.

That would also open the door for the return of either David Gustafsson or Rasmus Kupari up front on the fourth line.

“We’ve had guys do it all year long and at the same time, it’s never easy to lose guys out of your lineup,” said Schmidt. “Such is the game, such is the year. I don’t know if there’s anybody that’s had a healthy roster throughout the entire season. I like our depth, I like the guys that we have that can slide around the lineup. It’s the ultimate compliment: we have a lot of guys that can play anywhere in the lineup.”

As the subject of the Jets first goal against was broached on Friday, Bowness was asked about defenceman Neal Pionk jumping up on the rush prior to the turnover by Cole Perfetti.

“You still have to make sure that you’re ready to go in the next game. If you don’t, this league will chew you up.”–Defenceman Nate Schmidt

Given how Bowness has asked his blue-liners to be active, was it Pionk’s responsibility to ensure the original breakout pass is completed before he heads north into the neutral zone or did he make the right read?

“A little bit of both. But the onus is on the puck carrier to make the right play,” said Bowness. “If we make the right play, we’ve got a two-on-one. So, if he doesn’t jump and we make the play, it’s a one-on-one. So, you walk a fine line there, but you’ve got to trust the read. The onus is on the puck carrier to make the right play because they know our D are coming. If we make that play, it’s a clear-cut two-on-one and we’ve got them trapped. We don’t make the play and it ends up in the back of our net.”

The Hurricanes have been playing well of late, going 11-3-1 during the past 15 outings, as they continue to battle in the Metropolitan Division — five points behind the New York Rangers going into this weekend’s action.

“They’re going to be in your face all night. They’re a hard team to play against,” said Niederreiter. “They’re extremely tenacious, they’re very good on the forecheck. They play super simple and they get pucks out when they need to and get pucks in when they have to. That’s something we know is going to be a good test for us.”

How can the Jets impose their style against a team known for its ferocious style and ability to get on the attack?

“You have to move the puck fast, you’ve got to move it quick. Which means that you have to get back and be available and make sure that you’re putting the puck in behind them. There’s no other play to make,” said Bowness. “If you get cute against them, they’re going to make you pay. If you take what they give you and play North, carry it in when you can and dump it in when you have to, you’re making the game a little easier for yourself.”

Goalie Pyotr Kochetkov was named NHL rookie of the month on Friday and figures to be in net on Saturday.

Sebastian Aho continues to lead the Hurricanes in scoring with 23 goals and 62 points in 57 games, while Winnipegger Seth Jarvis is having a fantastic season, sitting second in goals (19) and points (48) in 60 games this season.

“They’re extremely tenacious, they’re very good on the forecheck. They play super simple and they get pucks out when they need to and get pucks in when they have to. That’s something we know is going to be a good test for us.”–Winger Nino Niederreiter

“You know what’s coming. You don’t have to sit back and try to think (about) what they’re going to throw at you,” said Schmidt. “With that knowledge comes an expectation of yourself to be ready to play that type of game.”

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

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