Jets get fast start, but fall to Maple Leafs

WINNIPEG – For the first time this season, the Winnipeg Jets have hit a patch of turbulence.

It’s nothing that can’t be managed by the group, who has made an art out of bouncing back from losses this season.

But after Saturday’s 4-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Jets have dropped each of the first three games of a five-game home stand – and have lost three straight in regulation for the first time this season.

“This is the right time for us to deal with this,” said Jets head coach Paul Maurice. “You hate losing hockey games, but you got an opportunity to deal with it now and talk about it and get it out there and get our energy level right. They just lost five, so they had it right when they came in here for their two games. We’re going through it now.”

Nikolaj Ehlers scored the lone goal for the Jets in the loss. His 21st of the season puts him one back of Kyle Connor for the team lead in that category.

Ehlers (and Connor) were also in the middle of a game that became more and more physical – and chippy – as it went on.

The teams may have only combined for 46 hits, with the Jets throwing 28 of them, but the third period had four minor penalties and two 10-minute misconducts. Ehlers took both minors for the Jets – one for delay of game, the other a slashing call as part of a back-and-forth with Joe Thornton.

Video: POSTGAME | Blake Wheeler

As for Connor, he took a roughing penalty late in the first when captain Blake Wheeler went down after a hit from Rasmus Sandin.

“I love teammates sticking up for each other,” said Wheeler. “The refs didn’t think it was a call, so that’s really all you can say about it.”

The Jets (27-17-3) got an ideal start, as Paul Stastny’s pass from the left wing was perfectly deflected by Ehlers in front of Jack Campbell to put the Jets up 1-0 just 39 seconds in. 

The lead lasted 3:25, as Thornton tucked home a wrap-around play before Connor Hellebuyck’s left leg could get to the post, tying the game at one.

Video: POSTGAME | Connor Hellebuyck

A fortuitous bounce gave the Maple Leafs a 2-1 lead with 8:20 left in the first. Jake Muzzin’s dump in bounced off a stanchion and came out in front, leaving Hellebuyck nearly helpless as he had come out to play the puck. Mitch Marner capitalized before the Jets goaltender could get back in the net.

“There’s not much for me to say, honestly. It’s bad luck,” said Hellebuyck, who finished with 33 saves. “This is going to be a big character build for us as team. You never know how much adversity you go through, and we seem to keep going through little spurts of adversity. Hopefully, we come back from this stronger. We have the character to do that and it’s time for us to learn and prove it.” 

The visitors extended the lead to 3-1 in the second during four-on-four, as John Tavares finished a 2-on-1 with William Nylander, beating a sprawling Hellebuyck for his 17th of the season.

Down 3-1 in the third, the Jets didn’t give up.

They had nine shots on goal, but the only puck that got by Campbell was a Neal Pionk shot that caught iron.

Video: POSTGAME | Paul Maurice

Perhaps what Maurice liked most, though, was the “bite” the Jets had in their game as the spirited tilt – the ninth of the season between the two clubs – turned up the heat even further in the dying minutes.

“I like the edge in the game,” said Maurice. “I like the barking between benches, barking at the refs. I thought that was the best part of the game. We had some bite, we got our heart rates up, the language went right down the tubes. It was right, it was good.”

Alex Kerfoot added an empty netter to round out the scoring.

The Jets home stand continues on Monday against the Edmonton Oilers. Maurice feels this is an important stretch for his club, which has aspirations of doing some damage past the 56th game of the regular season.

“The first part of the process is not coming to the rink down because you’ve lost three in a row,” said Maurice. “It’s getting into that fight, getting to enjoy it. Getting the energy back up on the bench. I thought we had that in the third. I kind of liked that. It’s a grinding thing for us right now. I’m glad we’re going through it right now.”