Predators not a team Jets should be ‘scared of at all’

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This article was published 28/02/2018 (2754 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

FOLLOWING a 6-5 loss to the Nashville Predators Tuesday, a game in which the Winnipeg Jets gave up a pair of two-goal leads, there were plenty of takeaways from the locker room once the team returned to practice Wednesday.

What exactly did the Jets, who carried a 3-1 lead in the second period and a 5-3 edge halfway through the third, learn from a game against the Central Division leading Predators?

“That we can’t be playing run-and-gun games like this against offensive teams like that,” said forward Mathieu Perreault.

“There’s no quit in them, they feel like they can score with anybody in the league and that’s kind of how it happened last night,” added veteran Matt Hendricks.

“You see how just tiny little mistakes, maybe a little bit of a missed coverage or things like that can really cost you,” chimed in second-year defenceman Josh Morrissey.

Heading into Wednesday’s action the Predators (39-14-9) are in first place in the Western Conference — tied with the Vegas Golden Knights for most points in the NHL, with 87 — for all those reasons. They can score goals, averaging 3.18 per game, and are responsible in their own end, allowing, on average, the third fewest goals per game (2.50). They also have strong special teams, with a power play and penalty kill both ranked in the NHL’s top-10.

The Jets were able to overcome those parts of Nashville’s game, even proving, at times, an ability to score at will against a club many consider to have the league’s deepest blue line. They converted a power-play goal and put up five goals on 39 shots against a team that rarely gives up quality scoring chances.

Had it not been for a complete breakdown late, allowing Nashville to score three unanswered goals in the final 10 minutes, including the game-winner with 60 seconds left on the clock, the Jets wouldn’t need to waste their time coming up with excuses. Having to justify the result then wasn’t exactly a fun exercise in a season where the ups have heavily outnumbered the lows.

“We could have easily won that game,” said Perreault. “It’s not a team we should be scared of at all.”

Fear is not something the Jets have shown much of this season. Tuesday, though, not only did the Jets give up big leads, they also allowed the Predators to steal back momentum at key times. Twice Nashville scored goals immediately after the Jets had found the back of the net; so soon, in fact, on both goals the announcer had yet to finish broadcasting who had scored before the Predators were right back on the board.

“It’s hard to really explain, to be honest,” said Perreault.

At 37-17-9, Winnipeg is on pace to smash the franchise record of 99 points in a single season. Some math-crunching sports websites have even put the Jets as having the best odds at winning the Stanley Cup.

But of all the positives that have surfaced this season, what the Jets seem to still be learning – and what will be crucial for a long playoff run – is how to properly manage the inevitable highs and lows that come with every game.

Being better at handling the mental side of the game is something Morrissey said is an integral part of the Jets success this year and a key part of what Jets head coach Paul Maurice has been preaching since the start of the season.

“It’s something we’ve really tried to work on this year, is handling that momentum shift whether we get scored on or score a goal,” said Morrissey. “They’re a veteran group, they know how to win hockey games, they know how to stay in games and when momentum started shifting our way they had their push.

“We really didn’t like how we handled the momentum way back at the start of the year and we’ve been pretty good with that since. That’s something that we probably could have handled a little better last night but they’re a team that knows how to get back in those games and have that response. It’s a learning lesson going forward.”

While Morrissey certainly has a point the Jets have improved from the days of when they used to admittedly live and die with each goal, they haven’t exactly been immune to momentum shifting the other way in games at inopportune times. Though they have been able to find themselves on the right side of the game sheet more times than not, they’ve also been susceptible to sluggish play early or late into periods – key junctures of the game where teams are searching for momentum.

In the last 10 games, the Jets have allowed four goals against either in the first minute or last minute of a period (not counting empty-net goals). While all teams are prone to these kinds of mistakes, that won’t be acceptable come playoffs. With 19 games left in the regular season, Hendricks said the Jets have time to clean up their game, and that he likes how the team has adjusted to adversity so far.

That includes making sure that after they score a goal they work that much harder to prevent an inevitable push from their opponent.

“It’s understanding those moments in the game, trying to control the puck in their zone instead of allowing them to skate through the neutral zone with speed and create in our end,” said Hendricks. “Those shifts after goals are huge in not letting them gain any momentum.”

Perhaps the biggest lesson – and what the Jets will ultimately achieve this season – from Tuesday’s game is the importance of having experienced players in the lineup. A run to the Stanley Cup Finals last season has given the Predators a major boost in confidence and an understanding of how to manage emotional swings.

That kind of gap won’t be possible to close over the next month, but with the right kind of dressing room to guide the way, what happened against Nashville may just turn out to be the lesson the Jets needed.

“You only get experience in the playoffs by being in playoff games,” said Morrissey. “When you get into that situation into the playoffs there’s nothing you can do about not being there before. You may as well go play, and play your hardest and see what you can do. I’m not too worried about that. We have more than enough experience and great leadership in our room and that’s something we can keep building towards.”

INJURY UPDATE: Connor Hellebuyck, Bryan Little and Toby Enstrom all missed practice Tuesday. Hellebuyck was working with goalie coach Wade Flaherty earlier in the day — something the Jets said will continue to happen at times as they work with three goalies. Enstrom, who was helped off the ice after blocking a shot during Monday’s practice and was a surprise scratch against the Predators, remains day-to-day. Little was said to be sick and should return to the team Thursday.

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

twitter: @jeffkhamilton