The Los Angeles Kings have had the Winnipeg Jets’ number so far this season, and Tuesday night’s game was no different. The final was 4-1 in favour of the Kings in a game defined by a few critical mistakes for the Jets.
Jets killed by turnovers
Within the flow of play, the Jets and Kings matched up well in this one, but a few critical turnovers burned the Jets in this one and ended up in the back of their net.
The Kings are now 28-4-4 at their home rink of Crypto.com Arena this season, and the Jets played right into their style of play and made it easy for the Kings in transition.
“We turned the puck over three times, and it ended up in the back of our net,” Scott Arniel said after the game.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)
Late in the second period, Winnipeg had all of the momentum after Cole Perfetti’s 17th of the season brought the Jets back within one, and a Logan Stanley neutral zone turnover resulted in a two-on-one and a goal against.
“They want to kind of bore you, and wait for you to make a mistake,” is how Cole Perfetti described it.
Those mistakes could prove very costly in a playoff game later into April. What those turnovers are today, is costly in a race for the Central Division that is seemingly getting closer by the game.
The Dallas Stars are now four points back of Winnipeg with a game in hand. These two teams also play one another on April 10, in Dallas. Every point is crucial, and last night, the turnovers and mistakes cost the Jets the opportunity at a critical set of points.
A potential silver lining is that the Jets out-chanced, outshot, and had more expected goals than the Kings in tonight’s game at five-on-five, per Natural Stat Trick.
They played well, a few key turnovers hurt them, and we likely wouldn’t be reading into this as much if the Stars weren’t currently riding a six-game winning streak. Yet, here we are.
Jets’ late power plays ineffective
Another point of concern coming out of last night’s game was the power play, which missed two opportunities in the third period to potentially get the Jets back into it.
“We gotta find ways to put the puck in the net, especially in the third period when we get a couple of looks to get us back into the game, one of the units has to bear down and we’ve gotta put one in the net,” Perfetti said after the game.
It wasn’t just the lack of a goal that was a concerning look, but the lack of overall shots and scoring chances as well.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)
With no Gabriel Vilardi (week-to-week) this power play has lost one of its elite weapons that made it so dangerous early in the season.
In a game as tightly checked as this one at even strength, this was a night where the Jets could’ve used a goal from their elite power play, but they didn’t generate nearly enough to earn one.
Up next
The Jets now travel to Vegas to take on the Golden Knights on Thursday evening, another team that they have struggled against this season and in recent memory.
The Jets will look to snap a nine-game losing streak against the Golden Knights, dating back to April of 2023, which was game one of the 2022-23 playoffs.
Stay tuned to Illegalcurve.com for the latest Jets and Moose news throughout the week.
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