WINNIPEG — This was quite simply a blowout of epic proportions.
A one-sided affair.
To call it a complete no-show would be an exaggeration, but when the Colorado Avalanche found that extra gear to put things into overdrive, the Winnipeg Jets had no answer on Thursday.
The 7-1 loss was representative of the flow of play, especially over the final 40 minutes — when the Avalanche watched their top line of Nathan MacKinnon (one goal, five points), Gabe Landeskog (three goals, four points) and Mikko Rantanen (one goal, three points) turn a 1-1 tie into a laugher.
Dominant performance by #Avs to earn a 7-1 win over #NHLJets – who had no answer for the top line of Nathan MacKinnon, Gabe Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen. Jets fall to 16-12-5 and don’t play again until next Thursday when they face the Detroit Red Wings. Jets 2-1 on road trip.
— Ken Wiebe (@WiebesWorld) January 7, 2022
No, a loss like this one doesn’t undercut the work previously done as the Jets rattled off a three-game winning streak that included victories over a pair of Western Conference powerhouses — the St. Louis Blues and Vegas Golden Knights.
But it did reinforce the margin for error when playing the top teams can be incredibly slim.
And if the Jets want to try and push a team like the Avalanche down the stretch, they clearly need to elevate their level of play.
“We’re going to play those guys a few more times and you want to be successful. In the Central Division, you’re probably going to have to go through Colorado,” said Jets centre Adam Lowry. “I think we see them quite a bit on the highlight reel just how elite those guys are, and sometimes it gets lost until you get back onto the ice with them. They have such a deep team, they have such a great back end and they’re so mobile, and that line is so elite. They’re definitely one of the best in the division, if not the best team. Like I said, the likelihood to get out of the division is you’re going to have to beat Colorado at some point.
“An important way to beat them is to shut those guys down.”
Shutting those guys down is a common goal, but the ability to actually be successful on that front is easier said than done.
On this night, MacKinnon’s explosive speed was on full display, as he was darting in and out of traffic and generating some tremendous opportunities for himself and his linemates, who feature that important blend of skill and power and did an excellent job of getting to the net to find rebound chances around the blue paint.
“I think they’re one of the best lines in the league,” said Lowry. “All three of them are elite, they’re elite at different things and they complement each other extremely well. They’ve played together for so long, and with an active back end like Colorado has, it seems like they come at you with four or five guys.
“They get some zone time and they always seem to know where each other is and are able to create those chances when it seems like they don’t have a lot. It’s one of those things now where we need to find a way to limit those chances.”
The Jets didn’t do that on Thursday and it cost them dearly.
MacKinnon had eight shots on goal and 11 shot attempts to pace the offensive attack and looked like the guy who has forced his way into the Hart Trophy discussion in recent years.
The Jets slipped to 16-11-5 on the season, while the Avalanche improved to 20-8-2 and their .700 winning percentage is tops in the Western Conference.
A look at the standings shows them five points behind the Nashville Predators in the Central Division, but Colorado holds five games in hand.
So to overreact and say the Jets can’t compete with the likes of the Avalanche isn’t accurate either.
On this night, there was a wide gap, nobody is disputing that.
The Jets had a glorious three-on-one opportunity when the game was still tied early in the second period, but the Avalanche scored with a man-advantage shortly after that and never looked back.
“We didn’t bring it, we weren’t prepared. And it showed on the scoresheet,” said Jets centre Mark Scheifele. “They got that power-play goal, and then they just kind of took it from there. They capitalized on their chances. They made us pay if we turned it over. They have a pretty deadly offensive zone structure.”
A similar lesson was learned in a 7-1 defeat to the Minnesota Wild back at the end of November.
When the Jets face a deep, talented team like the Avalanche (or the Wild), they need to be at their absolute best — and not just for one period.
Entertaining opening period in Denver. #NHLJets 1 #Avs 1. SOG 13-11 for Winnipeg.
— Ken Wiebe (@WiebesWorld) January 7, 2022
While the top stars on the Avalanche were shining, the same could not be said for the Jets, whose lone marker came from Scheifele on the power play.
The Jets won’t play again until next Thursday, when they face the Detroit Red Wings.
Games like this one are sure to leave a sour taste, but the Jets finished off the road trip with a 2-1 record and they remain a single point behind the Edmonton Oilers and continue to hold a game in hand in the chase for the final wild-card berth.
By the time the Jets return to action, they could have some reinforcements, since Paul Stastny missed Thursday’s game with a lower-body issue and fellow forward Jansen Harkins and defenceman Dylan DeMelo ended up in COVID-19 protocol along with taxi squad goalie Arvid Holm and video coach Matt Prefontaine.
Adapting to a lineup that can occasionally be in flux is going to be a required skill for many teams, given the current circumstances around the NHL.
The absences opened the door for Cole Perfetti to return to the Jets lineup for the first time since Oct. 16.
After dealing with the disappointment of seeing the 2022 World Junior Hockey Championship cancelled after Team Canada had played two games, Perfetti expressed gratitude earlier in the day about being around the Jets on the taxi squad before earning the latest promotion.
Perfetti didn’t look out of place, finishing with two shots on goal while taking 14 shifts for 10:31 of ice time, including 2:07 on the power play.
Although he started on the fourth line, he did take several shifts with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Kyle Connor, providing a glimpse of his offensive instincts and hockey intelligence.
It’s far too early to make a determination about whether or not Perfetti is ready to graduate from the minors, but there were enough smart plays made to suggest that another look is warranted.
The growth since October was apparent and that’s a testament to the work Perfetti has put in to get to this point.
“I’ve kind of reflected on my first couple of games there, and I wasn’t mad with how I played or upset or anything like that,” said Perfetti. “To be quite frank, not nervous but it’s my first NHL game and you don’t want to make mistakes. To be honest, I didn’t play up to my fullest potential and what I’m capable of.
“I’ve recognized that and realized that I’ve got to play at a certain level, I’ve got to have that confidence, still manage that and be smart with the puck but at the same time make plays, try things. That’s my game and that’s why I’m here. It’s for that reason. So, if I’m not playing to my game and identity, then there’s no point.”
For the Jets, this is one of the games you simply try and rinse off and leave in the rearview mirror.
Responding to losses — especially the disappointing ones — is an essential quality for teams that want to continue playing beyond the 82 games on the regular-season schedule.
“We’ll go back and get to work,” said Jets interim head coach Dave Lowry. “We know there’s some things we have to fix.”
Jets must learn how to compete with top teams like Avalanche
Source: Pinas Ko Mahal
0 Mga Komento