Thursday night’s 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning was a rare setback for the Winnipeg Jets.
Winnipeg had won 15 of their first 16 games this season, setting a new record, and were on a seven-game winning streak going into Thursday’s match. After losing 6-4 to the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 28, this was the team’s first road loss of the season and its first loss in November.
With much greater objectives left to be achieved this season, Jets head coach Scott Arniel cited the loss as a teaching moment for Winnipeg.
After Thursday’s game, Arniel remarked of the Lightning, “At the end of the day, they were on a mission and they were not going to let us get into our game, and that’s a good lesson for us.” “We know how we have to continue to play, we know what helps us have success, and just get back to that.”
Winnipeg went 0-for-5 on the man advantage in the defeat, keeping their league-best power play off the scoreboard for just the sixth time this season.
Captain Adam Lowry took the defeat as a lesson in adapting to your opponent, echoing Arniel’s sentiment.
“I think there were parts of our game that we liked and there were certainly times when we were happy with how we were playing with the pressure and chances we were creating,” Lowry stated following the match. “When a team decides to take a break, sometimes you just need to have patience… A small amount of obstinacy on our part.
After starting 13 of the team’s first 17 games of the season, starting goaltender Connor Hellebuyck was granted a rare night off, leaving the Jets without him.
With a 12-1-0 record, a 1.92 goals-against average, and a.934 save percentage, Hellebuyck, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner from the previous season, has continued to perform at a high level this season and is being considered as an early Hart Trophy contender.
After giving up three goals on 25 shots, backup goalie Eric Comrie was declared the winner. With a 2.77 GAA and.909 save %, he is now 3-1-0 for the season.
The Jets have two upcoming games against the Florida Panthers, the defending Stanley Cup champions who are 11-5-1 and in first place in the Atlantic Division. Fans in the Jets’ area can watch the second half of the home-and-home game on Tuesday from Winnipeg on TSN3 at 6:00 p.m. CT after they play them in Florida on Saturday.
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