Sharks pounce on the scent of blood from flailing Jets

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This article was published 15/01/2017 (2657 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

SAN JOSE — Never, in the history of January, have a group of Manitobans more happily boarded a plane in California to return home than the Winnipeg Jets here Monday evening.

A disastrous three-game road trip through Arizona, Los Angeles and San Jose came to an end here Monday afternoon with a humbling 5-2 Jets loss to the Sharks, sending the Jets home riding what is now a four-game losing streak and with their playoff hopes hanging by the thinnest of threads.

Winnipeg is now 20-23-4 on the season; only the woeful Colorado Avalanche have more regulation losses than Winnipeg in the NHL.

It was all a very familiar script here at the Shark Tank Monday afternoon:

• The Jets goaltending was lousy — again. Michael Hutchinson — making his second start in a row — was out of position on the game’s first goal and had the third one bank off the end boards, hit him in the right skate and bounce back into the Jets net.
• Jets defenceman Dustin Byfuglien was lousy — again. He stumbled to set up the partial breakaway that led to the Sharks first goal and took a careless four-minute high sticking penalty in the second period.
• The Jets got outscored in the first period — again. Winnipeg has been outscored 9-3 in the first period of their last four games, lost all four games and are now just 2-11-2 when they trail after the first. Any questions?
• And the Jets got outplayed in the second period — again. The Jets got outscored 2-0 and outshot 14-4 by the Sharks in the second period and are now, take a breath, minus-24 in the second period this season. Any answers?

Put it all together and a team that head coach Paul Maurice felt was playing their best hockey of the season just over a week ago on a road swing through Florida is suddenly in a free-fall with no bottom in sight.

Pavelec? He Didn’t Say No.

Maurice was asked following Monday’s loss if there was any consideration being given to calling up goaltender Ondrej Pavelec from the Manitoba Moose.

“We talk about all aspects of our game,” Maurice replied, without expanding.

That’s not offering much, but the most revealing part might be in what Maurice didn’t say — he didn’t rule out the idea.

And that is going to keep the issue alive for a team where quality goaltending — more specifically the lack thereof — has become the number one problem following a week in which the Jets gave up 19 goals in four games and both Hutchinson and Connor Hellebuyck have struggled.

How Did That Go?

The Jets were all over San Jose early in this one — they were out-shooting the Sharks 8-4 in the first period at one point — but San Jose goaltender Martin Jones kept the game scoreless until the 12 minute mark, when Sharks forward Joel Ward got loose and beat Hutchinson top corner for a shorthanded goal that the Jets netminder admitted after the game he had misplayed.

“The first one I had to have. I misread it,” said Hutchinson.

San Jose added goals in the second period from Timo Meier and Brent Burns and extended their lead to 4-0 midway through the third period on a goal by Chris Tierney.

But Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey spoiled the shutout bid for Jones, sneaking a point shot through traffic past Jones with under three minutes to play.

And then Mark Scheifele scored his 20th of the season — and in the weirdest way imaginable — to narrow the Sharks lead to 4-2 with just 15 seconds to play.

With the Jets net empty for the extra attacker, Jones got control of a loose puck and was trying to score into the empty Jets net for a rare goalie goal when Scheifele blocked the shot attempt and the puck bounced back into the Sharks net.

Asked after the game for his thoughts on scoring his 20th — and the weird way he got it — Scheifele didn’t want to talk about it. “It’s not even on my mind.”

Up Next

The Jets were scheduled to fly home immediately following Monday’s loss and will practice in Winnipeg on Tuesday before taking on the Arizona Coyotes Wednesday evening at MTS Centre in the first of a four-game home stand that will also include visits from the St. Louis Blues, Anaheim Ducks and Sharks.