On Saturday night the Winnipeg Jets were soundly beaten 4-1 by Central Division rival the Minnesota Wild. It was the second straight loss for the Jets and in back-to-back games. One could suggest that the team was looking forward to it's 5 day break coming up starting Sunday, but that would be naive and omit some basic facts about how the Jets lost.

On Friday night the Jets played about 15 of 45 minutes at a pace equal to their opposition, the Chicago Blackhawks. The home team, pushed the pace against the Jets and controlled most of the play but then the Jets woke up with a goal from Patrik Laine to bring them within one. If not for a 'standing on his head' performance from 32 year old goal Jeff Glass, the result might have been different, but the Jets have beaten teams on Connor Hellebuyck's back too.

Tonight was a bit of a continuation of Friday as the Wild pushed the play, opened the scoring and never surrenderes the lead, also Hellebuyck simply could not keep up with what he was facing. At least not to to a level that would help his team win. It can't be on him all the time.

With that being said the Jets faced some tactics that should be concerning to the coach, Paul Maurice, and the players. Both the Blackhawks and the Wild shut the Jets down through the neutral zone, both well and far too easily. They forced the Jets into bad decisions and forced passes and entries where they could not set up nor could the Jets recover the puck effectively.

While teams go through periods of malaise or indifferent play, it's been awhile since Winnipeg has exhibited it to this extent. In fact some would point out that it started in Buffalo during the game against the Sabres.

By now the effects of losing Scheifele are being felt and not just by the Jets but also from the way the opposition is playing against them. Add in the loss of Lowry and the deadly third line which is also missing Branden Tanev, and the Jets are a less dangerous team to play against.

While there is much hype and expectation for Jack Roslovic his usage has not filled in these holes and if Maurice is to be understood in his traditional methodology the player will have to earn his role and usage. It seems counter-intuitive compared to Ehlers and Laine's introduction to the NHL, although both have been held to account with ice time when not playing up to parr.

Aside from personnel the coach needs to coach his team during this period of weakness. That simply means giving them the strategy and tactics to adjust to what the opposition is doing. It’s been said around the media and in this space that Paul Maurice may have evolved as a coach. Although now the coach with the NHL record number of losses all-time, Maurice has shown he can make a team better both as individuals and as a group. Now he has one more test- figuring out how to adjust his strategy while facing roster adversity.

It's an important test because as the playoffs begin to loom there's a reason the series are 7 games, it makes each game part of a bigger chess match. Right now Paul Maurice has lost his queen, a knight and a pawn and his counterparts are seeing the holes and the opportunities that come with them. He has to adjust and this test, while executed by the players, is all about what the master knows and can do. Perhaps this break could not come at a better time but it won't change anything unless Maurice uses the time wisely and he gets a few pieces back on the game board.

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