The Winnipeg Jets lost their second straight game on Sunday night. And they lost for the same reason they lost their first game of this mini-losing streak on Friday night against Dallas -- they can't score and their goaltending isn't as good as everyone in the organization should expect.
Despite six power play chances and 45 shots against the visiting New York Rangers, the Jets fell 4-1 to the Broadway Blueshirts in a game that would have been much closer if the Jets had been able to solve the mystery of the opposing goaltender.
This season, the Jets have made some average goaltenders look like Georges S. Vezina himself, but on Sunday night, one of the league's best, Igor Shesterkin, came to town and shut down the Jets with apparent ease.
Winnipeg's only goal came on a perfect shot by Nikolaj Ehlers as the Jets enjoyed their fourth power play of the game. They finished with six and scored once.
With the loss, the Jets fell to 24-22-10 and will need a miracle to make the playoffs with only 26 games remaining this season. The Rangers, meanwhile, improved to 36-15-5 and moved into second place in the Metropolitan Division.
The Rangers opened the scoring at 2:01 of the opening period when former Jets defenceman Jacob Trouba went to the net and fired a pass to Barclay Goodrow who was left alone in front. Filip Chytil also drew an assist and the Rangers appeared to be in control early.
After the Jets power play -- one of the most frustratingly difficult power plays in the league to watch barely got a sniff of the net in two straight opportunities -- the Rangers took advantage of their second power play chance when Chris Kreider scored in close on Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck. It was Kreider's 37th of the year from Artemi Panarin (45th assist and Adam Fox (48th assist) and the Rangers had a 2-0 lead in front of a goalie who only allows 1.90 goals per game.
The Jets got one more power play chance before the end of the period but it also produced absolutely nothing. If the Jets don't do something about the power play between the end of this season and next year, they might as well pack in the 2022-23 campaign, as well.
The Jets fourth power play came with 7:06 remaining in the second period and the Rangers still ahead 2-0. That's when the second unit went to work.
Nikolaj Ehlers nearly gave the puck away at the Rangers blue line but got a bounce, regained control and took it to the net. From just outside the circle he ripped a wrister low to the short side past Shesterkin and the Jets had cut the New York lead to 2-1. Andrew Copp and Neal Pionk drew the assists at 13:34.
The Jets fifth power play came with 3:12 left in the second period. They got a couple of shots and finished the second period, outshooting the Rangers 29-16 through 40 minutes, but they were still behind 2-1.
The Rangers put it away at the 6:21 mark of the third period when Kreider outraced Jets defenceman Nate Schmidt to a long stretch pass at the Jets blue line, went in alone on Hellebuyck and beat the sprawling Jets goalie with a deke, high to the back of the net. Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafreniere drew the assists and despite the momentum created by the Ehlers goal, the Jets were done.
At this stage of the game Winnipeg had outshot the Rangers 37-18 and were down 3-1 because the power play and a group of highly-paid offensively-skilled players appear to have fallen into another goal scoring slump.
The Rangers made it 4-1 when Jacob Trouba's blast from the point handcuffed Hellebuyck and went in behind the Jets netminder at 9:32 of the third period. It was Trouba's ninth of the season. Artemi Panarin drew the only assist.
The three stars were Kreider, Shesterkin and Trouba. The fact Shesterkin wasn't the first star speaks volumes about the quality off shots the Jets fired at him. Most of them were from a distance with nobody in front. The Jets have a real aversion to driving the net -- or, just standing in front of it.
The Jets outshot New York 45-22. They outhit them 26-18. Won 61 per cent of the faceoffs and had fewer giveaways (14-11) and more takeaways (11-8), but because they got nothing from five power play opportunities and Hellebuyck might have played his worst game of the season (he has to stop trying to handle the puck), they were whipped by a team that really wasn't very good.
The Jets get another shot at a good team on Tuesday night when the defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning invade Canada Life Centre. It wouldn't hurt to put Eric Comrie in net. Connor Hellebuyck is playing like a guy who needs a rest.
Game time Tuesday is 7 p.m. CST.
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