Winnipeg Jets: Three Talking Points as the Jets Lose to The Ducks
The Winnipeg Jets started their new season with a loss against the Anaheim Ducks. Here are three talking points from the game.
The Winnipeg Jets opened their 2021/22 season on the road Wednesday night at the Honda Center with a disappointing 4-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks.
The game was the first time the Jets played against an American opponent since March of 2020, and the first time they faced the Anaheim Ducks since they beat them 3-2 way back in December 2019. The Jets will get their chance to avenge this defeat when they play this Ducks team again in their home opener on October 21 at the newly named Canada Life Centre.
The Ducks finished last place in the Western Division during the shortened 2021 season and did little to upgrade their roster significantly, other than the addition of exciting rookie prospect Trevor Zegras. The Jets came into the first game with high expectations based on the upgrades the team made particularly on defense.
Here are three talking points from yesterday’s game one loss to the Ducks.
3. The Jets Lost the Goaltending Duel
The Jets outshot the Ducks 34-22 in the game, including 15- 6 in the first period, but were only able to get one goal past Anaheim goaltender John Gibson. The Jets dominated play for most of the game, especially the first period where at one point the Jets had outshot the Ducks 7-1 but were down by a score of 1-0.
It’s hard to fault Connor Hellebuyck for the game, as most of the Ducks’ goals were a result of traffic in front of the net. However, letting in two goals in your first six shots, and four in 22 shots, is not the Vezina caliber play we have come to expect from Hellebuyck.
At the other end of the rink, John Gibson was fantastic, reminding fans that he is an elite goaltender and the Ducks’ most valuable player. Gibson made a number of amazing saves that gave the Ducks momentum coming out of the first two periods where they had been badly outplayed.
The lone Jets goal on the night came from Kyle Connor in the second period on a pretty passing play from Blake Wheeler and Paul Stastny. Facing a hot opposing goaltender is going to happen some nights in the NHL, but Connor Hellebuyck needs to match that level if the Jets are going to be serious contenders.
2. The Special Teams Were Not Special
Based on the results last night, it’s hard to believe that last regular season the Anaheim Ducks were last in the NHL in power play and penalty killing percentage.
The Jets were zero for five on the power play last night, directing 12 shots at goaltender John Gibson. The Jets also gave up two powerplay goals to the Ducks and looked disorganized in their own end when playing shorthanded.
On a positive note, both Jets’ powerplay units moved the puck well in the Ducks zone, but could not convert that into a goal. Neal Pionk looked comfortable in an expanded role on the power play, as did newcomer Nate Schmidt.
Jets coach Paul Maurice used a variety of combinations on the penalty killing unit, and the results were disappointing. The pairing of new Jet Riley Nash with Paul Stastny did not look comfortable together, and penalty killing veterans Adam Lowry and Andrew Copp had difficulties clearing the puck from their own zone.
On defense physical defensemen Brenden Dillon and Logan Stanley failed to keep Ducks forwards from disrupting Hellebuyck from in front of the crease. The Jets have too much talent to have such a dismal night on special teams, so hopefully, we see a vast improvement against the San Jose Sharks next game.
1. The Jets Missed Their Top Player
Mark Scheifele missed the Ducks game as he served the final game of his suspension from the playoff series against Montreal. This allowed the Jets to dress rookie forward Cole Perfetti who performed well in his first regular season game.
The Jets have a deep forward roster however, Scheifele’s absence from the Jets lineup was glaring. As much as the Jets can boast players in their top six who have offensive talent, it is impossible to replace a player who was the fifth-highest scoring center in the NHL last regular season.
When Scheifele is playing the Jets power play is immensely better as he is the most gifted shooter and passer on the team. Scheifele also elevates any combination of linemates he plays within ways that Paul Statsny and Pierre Luc Dubois are not able to at this point in their careers.
Scheifele is a true star in the NHL and demands attention and game planning for opposing coaches and players. I think Jets fans undervalue his contribution to the team and at times fail to see him as an upper echelon center in the NHL.
Based on the Ducks game last night, and what we saw in the playoffs last season against Montreal, if the Jets are to contend for a Stanley Cup, they need their star center in the lineup.
The Winnipeg Jets will travel north in California to San Jose to play the Sharks on Saturday night where they will try for their first win of the season. Stay tuned to our site on Saturday morning for a game preview for the Jets vs. Sharks game.
Winnipeg Jets Fans: What did you think about the Winnipeg Jets’ first game of the season? Leave your comments below!
Next. Winnipeg Jets Sign Evgeny Svechnikov. dark