The Winnipeg Jets lost the Montreal Canadiens and were thoroughly outplayed in the process. The Habs were able to use their speed to wreck havoc on the Jets defence. The Jets are being exposed as a team built around goaltending, which is ironic considering their biggest question mark entering this season was goaltending.
Let’s talk about Connor Hellebuyck: he has been fabulous for the Jets this year and is the reason that the Jets have the record they have. He has been a constant and has looked a lot more controlled than he did last year. This improvement is huge for the Jets and makes the Steve Mason contract look even more questionable than it did before.
On the other hand, Dmitry Kulikov has had a very tough start to the season. Could it be that he will never fully recover from his back injury? If that is the case and he is healthy enough to play, the Jets will be stuck with that contract for a long, long time.
Eleven Thoughts:
- The Habs took it to the Jets all game. The Jets were able to have short bursts of time with the puck, but it was not enough for them to make the game look even anywhere other than the score board.
- Ever since I said Patrik Laine has struggled he has scored. Same with Blake Wheeler. I will use this power carefully.
- Matt Hendricks did not fix the PK; especially with Andrew Shaw scoring two power play goals tonight. (Sorry for the snark, I’ve been writing report cards all day and am tired).
- The Habs second goal could have possibly been called goalie interference but I personally had a hard time seeing if Shaw hit the puck out of Hellebuyck’s glove or not. Mind you, I was watching on my computer.
- The third line inexplicably keeps on scoring and it is the weirdest thing in the world. How do they do it? HOW?
- The Jets got ahead with a strong power play (say what) and some skill. Say what you want about the rest of the team, but the skilled players are so good they make up a lot of what lacks on the roster.
- The Habs are small, but fast. They are able to win puck battles because they get to the puck first. The Jets go for the hit. Maybe the Jets should try to emulate the Habs.
- The Jets lost this game with stupid penalties. They cannot blame the refs when they regularly do stupid things.
- That said, there definitely should have been an interference penalty on Max Pacioretty right before he dumped Dustin Byfuglien on the power play in overtime, but honestly, who dumps Byfuglien ever?
- The Jets fully deserved to lose tonight. 46 shots against from a struggling team says it all.
- Would the real Jets stand up and show their faces or is this what they are?
