Jets missing quickness in loss to Jackets

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This article was published 18/10/2017 (2886 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Jets say the try was there but the execution wasn’t in Tuesday’s ugly defeat to the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets.

Conspicuously absent from the Jets’ (3-3-0) performance was quickness — not defined simply by their acceleration through the neutral zone but more by winning races to loose pucks, hasty attacks on Columbus puck carriers and short, swift routes to open spaces.

None of those things transpired, replaced by glaring giveaways, sloppy play in the defensive zone and a lack of creativity near the Columbus net.

Winnipeg was in chase mode from the opening whistle but weathered the storm on the strength of Steve Mason’s stingy goaltending in a scoreless first period. But the team paid for it in the second period, falling behind 4-1 and eventually losing 5-2 to the Metropolitan Division club (5-1-0), which won its fourth straight.

For Mason, it was his third loss in as many starts to begin the 2017-18 campaign and his time with the Jets.

On Wednesday, head coach Paul Maurice said quickness — even for a team that counts itself blessed with an abundance — still remains a skill area that needs regular time and attention.

“You don’t have to be a fast skater to play quickly. So, mental effort is a bit part of it. Make your read as fast as you can and then go,” said Maurice, still one victory shy of 600 for his NHL coaching career. “A lot of it is just habit. There was a lot of sprint work in practice with pucks. We’re doing one thing here, (so) do it as fast as you possibly can.

“Worry less about slowing down to let the play develop… it won’t develop in this league. This is all about speed now. We’ve got to get this thing going north faster and get galloping.”

The loss snapped a three-game winning streak that had plenty of good things happening, such as a strong forecheck, sound defensive awareness and rock-solid goaltending by Connor Hellebuyck.

Maurice said he didn’t for a minute blame the misstep on a lack of effort. He referenced Nikolaj Ehlers’ costly giveaway up the middle of the ice that led to the Blue Jackets’ first tally of the game as a sign players are trying to be difference-makers — when simpler, wiser decisions sometimes need to be made.

“He scored two goals off that, two game-winners (Edmonton and Carolina), with that same concept, driving into that hole. So, I’m not going to pull that away from him,” Maurice said. “But when the bigger ice is down the wall or it’s in behind, we have to take that first. This isn’t a casual group. There really isn’t anybody casual in the NHL. But if you’re looking for a different game, you look like you’re not putting in the right kind of effort and I don’t think we were looking for the right kind of game (Wednesday night).”

Maurice has already indicated Hellebuyck — who has won all three of his starts — will get the call Friday night when the Minnesota Wild come to town. Winnipeg right-winger Patrik Laine, who has a pair of goals in the club’s first six games, was highly critical of the team’s play in front of the veteran Mason, who signed with the Jets during the off-season.

“Everybody feels bad for Steve because it’s not been the easiest start. But we know he’s a really good goalie and we haven’t given him a lot of help on the ice,” Laine said. “Always, when a team allows seven, six or five goals, obviously, the goalie looks bad. But when we’re doing those kind of mistakes, when somebody’s alone at the back door, it’s not his fault. Those kind of goals, he can’t do nothing about it.”

Laine, who took line rushes on Wednesday with Ehlers and centre Bryan Little, said after reviewing video from Tuesday’s game it was clear no player was exempt from criticism or blame.

“We watched the video to see what we did wrong and there weren’t many things that we did right. We weren’t good,” he said. “We played three very good game games before this, so everybody knows what went wrong and why we were so bad.”

Maurice was asked if Brendan Lemieux could make his NHL debut against Minnesota.

“We’re going to look at our lineup more (today),” he said, adding the health of injured forwards such as Matt Hendricks and Adam Lowry could factor into the decision. “You have a tough night like that, certainly you want to have faith in your team. The same team won three in a row and everything was good, and we play that (Tuesday) we’re not going to send a bunch of guys to the minors off it. But yeah, we’re going to look at it.”

jason.bell@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @WFPJasonBell