Giveaway gaffe part of the game

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This article was published 15/11/2014 (3966 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — It wasn’t his first mistake and it won’t be his last.

Second-year defenceman Jacob Trouba coughed up the puck that cost the Winnipeg Jets a shot at overtime Saturday night, his giveaway turned into the winning goal by the Nashville Predators with just 2:02 left in regulation time.

The gaffe spoiled what was another fairly disciplined game by the visitors, who are playing the NHL’s lowest-scoring games so far this season. Saturday’s result, 2-1, only widens Winnipeg’s lead in that category in a league that cruises along steadily at 5.5 goals per game for both teams.

“I’d have to re-watch it but probably a little opposition pressure came down on me,” said Trouba, who had blocked a shot but semi-flubbed his attempt to move the puck out. It went right to Nashville’s Calle Jankrok, who whipped it over to Craig Smith, who snapped it into the open side for the winning goal.

“Yeah, it happens and you’ve got to live through it and we’ll worry about next time. Those things happen. You’ve got to live and learn.”

It was one of only eight giveaways the Jets were credited for making on Saturday. Nashville, by comparison, had 14 on the NHL‘s official game sheet.

Trouba said there was disappointment in Saturday’s result after a tight, chess-like game.

“Yeah, you never play 60 minutes and want to come up short there in the last two minutes,” he said. “It was an ugly game. We knew it was going to be an ugly game going into it and those are the games we want to play.

“Going into the third period tied, you want to come out on top.

“We can be better. I think everybody in here knows we can be better, but that’s a tough team to play against. The style they play… and there’s not a lot of room out there to make plays. It’s about getting it up and getting it through the zones and in deep and playing in their end. At times we did that today but we didn’t get enough.”

None means none

For the first time this season, the Jets were not awarded any power plays in a game.

Referees Greg Kimmerly and Brian Pochmara had opportunities for calls — Toby Enstrom was taken down early in the third period in open ice, for instance — but simply declined.

“In a couple of instances I would looking for a call, yeah,” said Jets coach Paul Maurice, who was seen barking at the officials a time or two.

“Nashville is disciplined,” Jets goalie Ondrej Pavelec said. “They control the sticks and they didn’t do any bad penalties.”

Jets left-winger Evander Kane was disappointed in no chances there.

“You work on it so hard and you don’t get an opportunity to get out there and try to execute,” he said.

“Maybe one (should have been called),” Jets centre Bryan Little added. “At least. But I don’t think that’s the reason why we lost.”

 

tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca