The Jets have been running ice cold over the past 9 games with a 2-5-2 record. That is not nearly good enough and by all accounts, the Jets players are sick of hearing it. The second game of a 4-game Division III road trip took them into Dallas and the Jets looked to build off of what many people thought was a solid hockey game in Nashville on Thursday night. The first period was solid for the Jets. They outshot the Stars 14-8 and they out chanced them 6-5. They were not rewarded for their efforts though as they reached the intermission tied 0-0.
The second period continued with much of the same from the first. The Jets continued to throw pucks on net from all over the ice and were eventually rewarded with a goal from Evander Kane. The Stars started to find their offensive mojo though as time wore on and the Jets were only able to outshoot the Stars 11-10 and the Stars out chanced the Jets 6-2. Considering the Jets are a team that has issues with being a “Jekyll and Hyde” team, their play as the period wore on began to raise concerns in their fan base.
The concerns turned out to have some validity. The Jets had a strong scoring chance in the opening seconds, ringing a shot off of the post, but after that it was all Dallas. Stephane Robidas capitalized off of a terrible turnover by Dustin Byfuglien to tie the score at 1-1 with a soft, broken stick shot from the point. The Jets played on their heels throughout the third and took a terrible too many men penalty with :20 seconds left in the period. The Jets were able to salvage the point though and send the game into OT. It’s worth noting that while the Jets were playing a trap for most of the third period, they were still outshot 16-7 in the period.
Overtime was a bit of wide open period with both teams trading chances. Although it was wide open, overtime did not solve anything and the game went into a shootout. Andrew Ladd was able to pot the shootout winner to give the Jets a 2-1 shootout win. That was their first win in 3 games but their 6th point in the last 4.
Ten Thoughts:
- Rebounds, Rebounds, Rebounds – The puck was bouncing around a lot early in the game and Lehtonen had terrible rebound control but the Jets were unable to take advantage of these opportunities. Luck plays into it, but it is also a bit of an indictment of some of the play up the middle.
- Mark Scheifele – I don’t know if it is the fact that after spending the summer with Gary Roberts he is still physically outmatched. I don’t know if he has lost all confidence. All I know is that Mark Scheifele has been awful. His playing time dwindled as the game rolled on and he has really yet to be a factor in this young season.
- Evander the Great – Evander Kane is a beast. He fought through an apparent upper body issue that had him a game time decision and did what Evander does. He goes a hundred miles an hour and no matter how much their opponents try to keep him down, Kane manages to fight through and give the team chances.
- Michael Frolik – His play time dwindled as the game ran it’s course but it really starting to look like he is starting to fit in. I really like his hustle out there and it is quite obvious that he has spent the last couple years playing in such a well run organization.
- Penalty Kill – The Jets have an affinity for taking penalties. It tends to come at inopportune moments but the Jets were able to kill off all 4 Dallas power plays, including a very poorly timed too many men penalty as regulation time expired.
- This Hour Has 20 Minutes – This team has shown a consistent “ability” to not play 60 solid minutes. I think a perfect example of the today was Devin Setoguchi. A lot was made going in about Setoguchi’s success in Dallas and he came flying out. The puck seemed drawn to him all throughout the first period and he had several terrific scoring chances. The second period began and I barely noticed him for the rest of the night..
- Face-offs – I know that the Jets best faceoff guy is now on IR but it is no excuse for their consistent poor performance in the circle. The Jets won a mere 36% of their draws tonight. You’ll get lucky sometimes when you get out battled like that in the circle but you will have no long term success without finding a way to improve that.
- Ondrej the…Giant? – I know this may be a little nitpicky. I know that Pavelec saved 35 of the 36 shots sent his way. I know it was a terrible turnover by Byfuglien that led to the goal. I just don’t get why every game Pavelec allows a goal that we all know he wishes that he had back. That is what seperates Pavelec from the Great goalies in this league. That one goal a game is the difference.
- Bogo – Bogo did have a classic “bad luck” Bogo play late in the game, but short of that one play, he is starting to play the way that the Jets need him to play. They always say that if you don’t notice a defensemen that he is doing his job. Bogo is starting to settle in and he is well on his way to going unnoticed.
- Continued Power Play Woes – The Jets have gone several games without scoring on the power play. Those special team woes continued, going 0 for 2 on the power play. The Jets need to get this figured out very soon or they are going to have no confidence and we are going to find Olli Jokinen on the point again and nobody wants that.
