‘We know where we stand’ Jets rebuff ‘measuring stick’ comment after Kings’ season series sweep By: Ken Wiebe Posted: 2:45 PM CDT Wednesday, Apr. 2, 2025

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This article was published 02/04/2025 (185 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

LAS VEGAS — Scott Arniel was eight questions into his post-game assessment when a Los Angeles-based reporter struck a nerve.

After being asked what had made the Los Angeles Kings such a tough team to go up against this season, the follow-up query was about whether the Jets head coach viewed this as a measuring-stick type of game?

“Us, a measuring stick?” Arniel asked rhetorically.

The reporter stood his ground, citing the Jets 0-3 record against the Kings in head-to-head play this season — which included a pair of 4-1 defeats and a tightly-contested overtime loss.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. We’re sitting on top right now,” said Arniel. “So, I don’t know if there’s a measuring stick. We don’t measure that way. We go about how we play hockey. How we go against each and every opponent. We lost three games.

“At the end of the day, those things happen.”

Arniel clearly didn’t like the insinuation his team could be in trouble if the teams met again down the road and he wasn’t about to toss any gasoline onto a barely noticeable flame to create an unnecessary narrative.

With his team in the heart of the stretch drive and battling for first place in the Central Division, the Western Conference and the entire NHL, Arniel wasn’t going to make it seem like this loss was any more damaging than any other the Jets have suffered over the course of the campaign.

When a team only has 20 outright losses through 75 games, they’ve earned the benefit of the doubt.

But that doesn’t mean the Jets won’t be sifting through the video for clues as to why they were only able to secure one of a possible six points against a Kings team currently sitting second in the Pacific Division.

In listening to Arniel and several players on Tuesday after the morning skate, it’s evident the Kings didn’t catch the Jets by surprise.

They play a stifling brand of hockey, contesting each and every available loose puck while making it difficult for their opponent to find shooting lanes or create dangerous scoring chances from the home-plate area or around the crease either.

Sound familiar?

It’s been a major part of the recipe that’s made the Jets so successful this season.

“We don’t measure that way. We go about how we play hockey. How we go against each and every opponent.”–Head coach Scott Arniel

“They move it fast in the D-zone. We couldn’t get a forecheck,” said Jets forward Alex Iafallo, who spent the first six seasons of his career with the Kings and knows all about the identity they’ve created over the years.

“They were playing faster offensively and getting more shots through. We’ve got to block more shots and just push the pressure more. Minimize the turnovers and stuff like that.”

In some ways, the Kings beat the Jets at their own game, being diligent in the details and feeding off the mistakes of their opponent.

“We turned the puck over three times and it ended up in the back of our net. I liked a lot of what we did, our game plan against them,” said Arniel.

“We did a good job of getting through the neutral zone. There were a few times we let them get out of the zone on some of the forecheck situations. We didn’t spend a lot of time in our end of the rink. But again, we made three mistakes and it ended up in the back of our net.”

Whether that was an errant breakout pass by Colin Miller or neutral-zone turnovers by David Gustafsson or Logan Stanley, the mistakes proved to be costly even if they weren’t plentiful.

“A couple self-inflicted wounds and they capitalized on some of those chances,” said Jets forward Cole Perfetti, who scored the lone goal for his team. “We know the style they play, they want to kind of bore you and wait for you to make a mistake. They’re quick off the rush, they’re good in transition. And they showed that.”

There’s no doubt the Jets missed defenceman Luke Schenn, who was scratched with an undisclosed ailment after leaving the morning skate early after stiffening up.

He’s officially listed as day-to-day and his status for Thursday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights is up in the air.

The Jets didn’t make the evening difficult enough on Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper, who could easily find himself as a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, along with clear front-runner Connor Hellebuyck.

Perfetti’s goal came on a rare odd-man rush, created when Morgan Barron blocked a shot by Quinton Byfield.

“You’re not going to win every game. That’s the reality. We know where we’re at. And, I mean, we’re top of the top of the league, we’re there for a reason.”–Cole Perfetti

Perfetti had just come out of the box after serving a tripping minor for Hellebuyck before burying his shot.

By not deferring to sniper Kyle Connor on the play and taking his shot when that was the right play, this was another example of the steps Perfetti is taking with his on-ice progression.

However, that was just the third goal in three games the Jets managed against the Kings — and the only one that came at even strength.

The other two were scored with the man-advantage and, with Nikolaj Ehlers using his craftiness to draw a pairing of tripping penalties in the third period, the door was open for the Jets to once again make it a one-goal game and put the heat on.

But the Jets failed to record a single shot on goal during the four minutes of power-play time — meaning the dry spell continues.

Since returning from the 4 Nations Face-Off break, the Jets are eight-for-49 (16.3 per cent) on the man-advantage, and that’s moved them behind the Golden Knights for top spot in the NHL.

It was going to be nearly impossible for the Jets to maintain their efficiency rating above 30 per cent over the course of 82 games, but they haven’t been as diligent when it comes to executing the mentality that was at the root of their incredible run.

“You have to attack the net. We’ve stressed on that all year long,” said Arniel.

“You can get possession, we did a good job getting in there. But you’ve got to attack. They’re an aggressive group and we knew they were going to come. But in that split-second where you’ve got them, you’ve got to get the puck to the net and try to take the chaos down there.”

Arniel didn’t think the Jets did a good enough job of turning offensive zone time into quality looks at even strength either — and that facet of the game will be under the microscope during the coming weeks as it’s a necessity to enjoying playoff success.

Perfetti was asked the same question as Arniel about the measuring stick aspect and he answered it in a similar fashion.

“We know where we stand. I think we’re pretty confident in our group,” said Perfetti. “I don’t know about a measuring stick. But they’re a playoff team, they’re a high-quality team, and we wanted to play good against them.

“You’re not going to win every game. That’s the reality. We know where we’re at. And, I mean, we’re top of the top of the league, we’re there for a reason.”

With the Dallas Stars still within four points of the Jets and now holding a game in hand, the measuring stick component will be moot soon enough.

But that doesn’t change the fact the Jets want to finish the regular season clicking on all cylinders.

Four of the final seven outings come against teams in the thick of the race, two are against teams that are out of it and one is against Utah HC, who are hanging by a thread in the wild card race.

Arniel is correct in saying that the most important thing the Jets must continue to focus on revolves around where their game is at — and how close they are to the gold standard they’ve established.

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

X and Bluesky: @WiebesWorld