Jets can’t match quickness of top-tier teams

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This article was published 14/10/2014 (4372 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

LOS ANGELES — As they try to implement some new systems and work towards a different identity, the Winnipeg Jets saw this weekend it’ll be no easy chore.

They pounced on an opponent expected to struggle this year in the opener in Arizona, and had fun trying out their desired aggressive, speedy style in a 6-2 win.

But against elite, sure-to-be-playoff teams on the weekend, the Jets crashed helmet-first into a veritable brick wall.

The were the second-best team Saturday in San Jose, falling behind early and losing 3-0, and were schooled again Sunday in a 4-1 defeat to the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center.

In this one, the Jets didn’t have so much trouble keeping up as they did making plays with the quickness and crispness the Kings did. And do. When you have the passes, chips, checks and blocks down to an instant and automated execution as the Kings do — this is how you win the Cup — you are hard to beat.

“They’re just better at parts of the game than we were,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said after the game. “They came up with the pucks they needed to, got the pucks in deep and didn’t turn them over at the line quite as often.

“And they’re a little better around the net.”

Sunday’s result isn’t a condemnation of the Jets’ plan. Rather, it should hammer home the difference between simple speed and quickness of execution.

It was the first win of the season for the defending Stanley Cup champs, now 1-1-1.

The Jets dropped to 1-2 after opening with three on the road.

The problem Sunday wasn’t that the Jets didn’t compete or even give the Kings a push.

But they had immense trouble scoring until it was too late, and it wasn’t because of a lack of chances. L.A. had numerous difficulties escaping its own zone, in the first in particular, and the Jets had enough good opportunities for two or three goals right there.

They eventually scored after the Kings extended an early lead to 4-0, with Bryan Little connecting for his third of the season.

 

More of the same

The Jets fell behind 2-0 to the Sharks on Saturday in San Jose, then drifted to 3-0 in the second period of that game, which was the final score.

Against the Kings, Winnipeg was again down 2-0 in the first period and fell to 3-0 early in the second when Tanner Pearson took full advantage of a Jacob Trouba turnover in the neutral zone.

In this case, and likely because Pearson’s goal went through him and dribbled into the net, Michael Hutchinson got the hook. In his first start of the season, he faced 13 shots and gave up three goals in 22:03 of work.

Jeff Carter made it 4-0 later in the second on some more inattentive defence after Ondrej Pavelec made a fine save on Tyler Toffoli’s point-blank rush chance, pretty much a copy of the Kings’ first goal, which Toffoli scored after Hutchinson made a great save on Carter’s in-alone chance.

 

Up next

Nashville Predators at Jets, Friday atthe MTS Centre, 7 p.m., TSN 3, TSN 1290.

tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca