Winnipeg Jets: 3 Talking Points as the Jets Beat the Flames 3-2

2. The Jets Give up their Hard Earned Lead

One thing that is extremely interesting to watch during preseason play is how different players react to playing in different situations or scenarios. One situation that the Jets have infrequently had during their exhibition games is taking a lead into the second or third period.

For only the fourth time this preseason, the Jets were taking a lead into a period. During the first game exhibition game, Winnipeg blew a 2-1 lead against Ottawa and lost that game in overtime. They responded well in their second game against Edmonton leading 1-0 at the end of the first and scored three goals to extend their lead to 4-1 at the end of two.

Unfortunately, things did not go Winnipeg’s way in the second period yesterday. A defensive lapse led to Calgary’s first goal of the game.

Matthew Tkachuk retrieved the puck in the Jets’ end, on the forecheck, and he was battling with Nathan Beaulieu for the puck. Winnipeg also had two players backchecking to the front of their own net and were in great position.

Unfortunately, the Jets back checkers were puck watching Tkachuk and were not looking for the second wave of Calgary’s attack. Tkachuk passed the puck to Gadwin who was wide open and he buried the puck past Hellebuyck to make it a one-goal game.

Under two minutes later, Calgary was able to capitalize on a man advantage to tie the game at two and have a tie going into the final period.

As it has been said many times before, a two-goal lead is the toughest lead to play with in hockey and that was shown again last night.