|
Jets fall short against red-hot Flames, 3-1 |
|
|
|
After a hard fought battle, the Winnipeg Jets came up short against the Calgary Flames, who have now won ten games in a row. It wasn't a "must-win" game for the Jets, but it was certainly one they were hoping to capitalize in.
With a record of 4-3-0 since the All-Star break, the Winnipeg Jets are currently sitting 7 points shy of a playoff spot, fighting with Vancouver, Dallas and Anaheim. The Flames have one of the deepest teams in the league, and though playing against the leagues hottest team isn't always the most comforting going into, there was the feeling the Jets could still compete.
The Flames were able to capitalize on an early 2nd period powerplay, seeing Sean Monahan enter the zone and rifle one over the shoulder of Connor Hellebuyck. You could argue that Hellebuyck should have had it, but it was a great shot, and was the only one he let in for the first 59 minutes of this game.
After Dominic Toninato tied the game just a few minutes later, off of a deflection from a Neal Pionk shot, the Jets were tied up with the Flames. It would stay this way until Elias Lindholm scored the game-winning goal with just 47 seconds left to go in the game, followed by an empty net goal by Tyler Toffoli.
So despite losing the game in the final 60 seconds, there are a lot of positives to take away from this game. The biggest one being that the Jets were able to stay up to pace with 2022's best team so far. The depth the Flames have, especially after acquiring Toffoli for no roster players. With star-power in Gaudreau and Tkachuk, key depth options in Mangiapane, Toffoli and Dube, and top-notch goaltending in Jacob Markstrom, this team will be taking a big run for the cup and can't be taken lightly.
That being said, the Jets were a good counter for this team. It wasn't a one sided game, and both teams played very well. The Jets were slower coming out of the gate, but after the first period they settled in. Blake Wheeler showed flashes of the Blake Wheeler we knew of just 5 years ago, Svechnikov was reunited with Conner and Dubois in the second period, and the Jets powerplay looked fantastic, but couldn't finish any of their opportunities.
One of the biggest standouts for me was the Stanley-Schmidt pairing. They struggled mightily against the Backlund line specifically. Whether is was making a poor decision on a pinch, trying to cheat on rushes, or just getting outworked. It was not a good night for them. It is also noticeable how well Reichel has been playing, but isn't getting any signs of a promotion with Perfetti injured. With the Jets claiming Adam Brooks on waivers, he was slotted in that 2nd line, but didn't last the game there.
On a more positive note, Poganski looked better than he has, as well as Toninato and Svechnikov. It is great to see these depth guys getting good looks, and hopefully will result in some more evenly distributed ice time.
Overall, there isn't much to talk about this game. Each team had some really good looks at times, but it was the Flames who were able to come out on top.
In a bit of other news, Frank Seravelli has madea statement on Mark Scheifele:
"There are rumblings of this being Mark Scheifele's last season in Winnipeg. I think it's probably premature but not guaranteed he's a deadline conversation. Sense the situation is coming to an end. What that means - I don't know."
Now, as much as it has been a conversation among fans and some media, I didn't expect this news to come out. While I think that there may be some separation from the team and Scheifele, it is hard to picture the time coming to an end.
Let me know what you though of the game, and what you think ahead of the trade deadline. Thanks for reading, enjoy your day!