The first goal and the fourth goal allowed by the Winnipeg Jets were preventable. Take those two out and perhaps the Jets win a 3-2 or 4-2 instead of falling to the Islanders 5-4 in OT. Two defensive breakdown where a player was left wide open cost the Jets the game and that's what fans should take away from it, at least those looking to understand why the Jets could not continue their winning streak.

The real under current of the game was the pace, desire, intensity, and emotion on display by both teams with perhaps the Islanders out-witting the Jets on at least two of those.

The Jets out-hit the Islanders by over a two to one margin, 44-19. But they were easily out chanced by the visitors as Ondrej Pavelec had to be magnificent at times to keep his team in the game.

The Jets did not lose this game because of the officials but yesterday's crew did almost everything they could to ensure that they should not be officiating any post season game. The head shot on Bogosian- who is now listed day-to-day- was one and it happened in front of the back referee.

When Martin somehow managed to draw Wheeler into the box with him for apparently nothing was another strange call. The score sheet said roughing but really it was nothing. Not to mention the wonderful acting by Nabokov to draw a penalty on a rushing Byfuglien. It was a drama-like performance as the Russian goalie raised both his arms AFTER he made the save and swung himself across the crease.

Let's not even discuss the coward that is Kyle Okposo, the Isles answer to Matt Cooke.

However the biggest blown call may have been in OT when a whole arena, broadcast crew and thousands of fans watching at home saw 5 skaters on the ice. It's too bad that the NHL is not like the PGA and won't take calls about enforcing rules because this crew would have been on the phone a long, long time.

The officiating didn't cost the Jets the game. They did that all on their own with two key breakdowns on goals number 1 and 4. Bogosian may have been playing with a concussion so perhaps he was out of his right mind when he went into the corner to challenge McDonald after Clitsome had missed the check along the boards. It left Grabner alone in front of the net with no forward to cover him and thus and easy tap in past Pavelec was there to put the Isles ahead.

The game-tying goal arose from a situation even these incompetent officials could not miss when Visnovksy blatantly interfered with a forechecking Tangradi. The latter had perhaps his best game as a Jet and in one shift was a shot blocking machine taking 4 to the legs and feet before hobbling off the ice. It was this PP he drew that changed the game and may decide if the Jets squeak in to the top 8 by a point.

Noel pulled Pavelec to give him a 6-on-4 advantage. Some including Elliotte Friedman of CBC tweeted that Noel had a 'big pair' for doing so. Elliote's pretty well-respected guy for some one who writes a blog each week claiming what un-named NHL executives, or anonymous sources, tell him each week, but to call that move by Noel as a gamble of sorts is silly.

For all purposes the game was a playoff game. The Jets had to win and so did the Islanders but the Jets even more so. The only gamble was if the Islanders could get possession and make a 150' shot into an empty net with no penalty of icing, at least in terms of play.

The real gamble was to not use the late period PP and pull the goalie. Had the Jets lost in regulation what would the questions have been? They simply had to win that game and being down a goal with just over two minutes to play it was obvious Pavelec was coming out. Had there been a face-off deep in the Islanders zone he may have been pulled regardless the PP just gave the Jets an extra attacker.

It's all for naught now as the Islanders won in the shootout after a thrilling OT where each team threw everything AND the kitchen sink at the goalies. The challenge for the Jets was once again there was no help on the OOTS other than Ottawa losing to Toronto.

The Habs are free-falling, the Caps are raging and everyone in between seems to do the opposite of what's needed for the Jets. That's life as a bubble team and the next three games are going to decide the Jets play off fate but they still need help.

Cheer for the Devils to day Jets fans because it looks like 8th is the only way the team gets in now.

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