Losing to Leafs… man, that hurts

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 21/02/2015 (3860 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TORONTO — Opportunity lost is what the Winnipeg Jets were thinking after they fell 4-3 in overtime to the lowly Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.

The extra point would have been both useful for their place in the standings and for their confidence.

“We have to get past this game,” said Jets centre Mark Scheifele, who scored his ninth of the season during a first-period power play. “Obviously we came out strong and we had our good parts to the game, but we let up a lot and they were able to get their cycle game going, which we didn’t want. We have to move on from it and be better.”

One of the big complaints about their own game Saturday night was letting a 3-2 lead slide in the third period.

Nazem Kadri scored on a wrap-around that banked in off the skate of Jets goalie Michael Hutchinson 3:57 into the final period.

And then the result — James van Riemsdyk decided it at 3:47 of the extra period — dropped the Jets to 20-1-6 when taking a lead to the third period.

“It was a frustrating game,” said Hutchinson, who fell to 17-7-4. “I think we played well enough to win that game, but we just had some big mental collapses late in the game where we gave up some scoring chances they capitalized on.

“That’s just one of those things, going into the third period with the lead, we have to bear down and stick to our game and not give up as many chances.”

After Kadri’s goal, the Leafs had a wide margin of offensive-zone time. It would be a reach to say the Jets looked out of gas, but they certainly weren’t their aggressive, quick selves for much of the rest of the game.

“I think for the most part of the game we took it to them, that they were on their heels a little bit,” Hutchinson said. “And then they got some breaks and they were able to capitalize and score some goals and that gave them energy.

“Obviously, going into the third period with the lead, we have to be able to mentally clamp down and be able to shut the door and not let teams back in. I think physically, we had good jump, good energy. It’s just bearing down and making sure we don’t give up as many Grade A chances late in the game.”

The chances weren’t that lopsided, Jets coach Paul Maurice said.

“It was a sloppy, chippy kind of… not a lot of flow to that game,” he said. “I’m not sure that the chances they had were any better than the ones we had.”

Jets winger Michael Frolik, who had put his team ahead 3-2 with a goal in the final minute of the second after some awful Toronto defensive-zone coverage, was clearly bothered after the game.

“A tough loss,” he said. “I think we weren’t our best today, but I think we were pretty decent, better than we were in Washington. That was the goal. Obviously (losing) the point hurts, but we’ll let it go and get ready for the next one.

“The third period, yeah, they got good offensive-zone time. We weren’t in our forecheck or even in our game. That’s not our plan. We need to get better on that, make sure we get our energy back. We were good when we were physical and on the forecheck and on our toes and we need to get back on that game.

“We didn’t have much offensive zone time. We battled in the end but we lost in overtime and it cost us a point.”

tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca