After getting points in their first six games after the Olympic break, and moving within five points of a playoff spot, the idea of the Winnipeg Jets making the playoffs is starting to feel like something more than just a far-fetched proposition.
But the Jets didn’t look like a playoff team Tuesday night against Anaheim, suffering a 4-1 loss that revealed a squad that appears to be in the draft lottery conversation.
Neither team managed to score in a slow first period in which Winnipeg had just two shots on goal despite having its only strong play of the period. Anaheim managed eight shots on goal but, like Winnipeg, was unable to generate many high-danger chances.
But chances started to come for both teams early and often in the second set.
Alex Iafallo nearly scored in the first two minutes when he burned down the left wing into the Anaheim zone and fired a shot that Lukas Dostal muffed with his glove, leaving the puck millimeters from the goal post.
Not long after the Ducks’ shot hit the post, Gustav Nyquist made a neat play in the offensive zone to set up Isak Rosen with a fairly open net but his shot was blocked by Dostal’s skate.
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Just past the fifth minute of the second half, the Jets broke the ice when Morgan Barron deflected a point shot from Elias Salomonsson past Dostal for his 10th of the season.
However the excitement in the building was short lived as the Ducks would strike out three times in less than two minutes.
Tim Washe beats Kyle Connor in a puck battle at the Winnipeg point, handing it off to Jansen Harkins. He skated to the far point of the scrimmage before stopping and firing a shot on goal that Hellebuyck stopped but Washe grabbed the rebound and knocked it into the net to tie the game with the second goal of his NHL career.
Just 14 seconds later, Ryan Poehling tipped Alex Killorn’s shot off the post and gave the Ducks their first lead of the night.
90 seconds later, Anaheim made it 3-1 thanks to a careless Jets turnover. Brad Lambert tried to pass the puck to Cole Koepke at the Winnipeg blue line but Koepke missed, allowing Poehling to return it in the zone to Killorn for a 2-on-1 with Jeffrey Viel. Killorn saved it and beat Hellebuyck with a wrist shot from the point of contention.
Winnipeg held on from there as they were outscored 20-5 in the period but the score remained 3-1 into the third quarter.
The Jets got their second power play display of the night just 40 seconds into the third quarter but were unable to capitalize, getting just one shot on goal in two minutes.
As their team reeled, the Winnipeg faithful began to get restless. When the Jets finally recorded their tenth shot on goal of the game just past the midway point of the third quarter, the Canada Life Center gave the Bronx a hearty cheer.
They then cheered loudly after two shots on goal in the ensuing moments, culminating in chants of “shoot the puck” throughout the arena.
Things continued to look dire for Winnipeg when Cole Perfetti was called for a high bunt with 5:21 remaining but Anaheim’s power play didn’t last long as Beckett Sennecke was called for interference just 22 seconds later.
With just over three minutes remaining, Hellebuyck went to the bench to look for an extra striker and not long after, the Ducks had a good chance to put the game away but Olen Zellweger’s shot hit the post.
Winnipeg’s attempt hit the crossbar with less than a minute remaining, but moments later, Jackson Lacombe hit an empty net from his own net to tie the game.
Anaheim finished the game with 34 shots on goal while the Jets registered just 13 shots.
The Jets will look to bounce back Thursday night against the New York Rangers. The puck drops just after 7 p.m. with pregame coverage on 680 CJOB starting just after 5 p.m.
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