Jets Snap Winning Streak, Fall 3-1 to Last Place Columbus

When you are handed three separate two-man advantages, you need to score multiple goals. On Thursday evening at Nationwide Arena, the Winnipeg Jets were unable to capitalize on six of their seven power plays - including all three five-on-three situations - ultimately dropping their first game in four and second of the season to the league's worst team, the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Jets entered Thursday night's contest coming off of a stretch that saw them go 3-0-0 after losing three-straight games. In the way of a Winnipeg four-game winning streak was the last-place Jackets, which had only one victory in its last six games played. Entering the night 34-19-1, the Jets sat 33 points ahead of the lowly Jackets (16-34-4). Columbus, however, did actually beat Winnipeg 4-1 in the teams' previous meeting in Manitoba back in early-December. A win would have propelled the Jets directly into first place, not only in the Central Division, but also in all of the Western Conference. A test with Columbus surely wouldn't stand in the way of that, would it? Well, it did. The Jets scored first, but Patrik Laine, Kent Johnson and Boone Jenner responded for the hosts - to whom the Jets outshot 37-24 on the night, but who cares if you don't win, right? Well, Columbus goaltender Joonas Korpisalo cares. He played sensationally, stealing both points for the Blue Jackets. It took Winnipeg a full period to score, but the team finally struck with 1.8 seconds to play in the frame. Already up a man with Liam Foudy in the box for tripping, the Jets earned a short two-man advantage thanks to an Erik Gudbranson hooking minor. It took them just 29 seconds to score, with Kyle Connor snapping his six-game goalless drought in potting his 25th of the campaign off a setup play from Blake Wheeler and Pierre-Luc Dubois. Heavily outplaying the home team in the opening frame, Winnipeg maintained a sizeable 12-2 shot advantage, despite only being up 1-0 through 20 minutes. Columbus did manage to turn it up in the middle stanza, with the all-too-familiar Patrik Laine hammering home a power play marker at the exact midway point of the game. Scoring his 15th of the season, the right-handed sniper put a long-range wrist shot through David Rittich high, glove side, knotting the game up at ones. For the second-straight game, the Jets' opponent scored while Pierre-Luc Dubois watched on from the penalty box. This time, it was Dubois' second hooking call of the game, with the guy he was dealt for two years ago finding the twine on the other end of the ice. Winnipeg was handed two additional two-man advantages following the first period tally, but somehow failed to score on both opportunities, setting the Blue Jackets up for some textbook game-management from the referees. The Jets and Blue Jackets entered the third period tied at one with Winnipeg holding a 24-16 shot advantage. Just seconds after a Columbus power play expired, the second-youngest Blue Jacket potted his 12th of the season with 10:20 to play. Kent Johnson picked up a loose puck off the side boards before turning towards the net and firing it through Rittich, giving Columbus its first lead of the game, much to the dismay of the offensive-heavy Jets. Winnipeg opted to pull Rittich for the extra attacker with two minutes remaining. The team also took a timeout with 1:41 to go, but even the extra rest and strategizing could not help the Jets' top scorers beat Korpisalo. Captain Boone Jenner sealed it for Columbus, potting an empty-net tally with just two seconds remaining, putting the cherry on the top of a hard-working home win for the new home of Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic. Korpisalo finished the night with 36 saves on 37 shots, while Rittich - who started his second-straight game - turned aside 21 of the 23 pucks he faced. Things will not get any easier for Winnipeg, as the team now embarks on a three-game-in-four-night trek through New York. They will play the New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers and Islanders beginning on Sunday, before returning home late Wednesday night. All three games will also feature 6:00 PM central start times. Sunday's game in Newark will be featured on TSN.