Three things – Monahan hat trick not enough

Winnipeg Jet forward Sean Monahan scored a natural hat trick in the first period in Calgary, but it wasn’t enough in a 6-3 loss to the Flames at the Saddledome this afternoon. Winnipeg (33-16-5) saw their three-game win streak come to an end and will now return home Tuesday to face the Minnesota Wild who are coming off a 10-7 win over Vancouver.

POOR DEFENSIVE SHOWING

The Jets gave up six goals for the first time this season and it’s the first time since November 2 that they had allowed five or more. Winnipeg had jumped out to a 3-1 first period lead only to watch Calgary score five unanswered. Rick Bowness said he felt only Sean Monahan and Connor Hellebuyck played well for his group and on top of that, he wasn’t very happy with his teams five-on-five effort.

“That’s as soft a 5-on-5 game as we’ve played all year. That’s not us at all, so that didn’t even look like the Winnipeg Jets out there,” said Bowness.

“But you know what? You flush it and we’re going to get ready for tomorrow.”

MONAHAN ON THE MONEY

After the Jets surrendered the first goal of the game, it was time for the Monahan show. The former Flame scored three goals in a span of 5:17 which pushed him past Ilya Kovalchuk (7:10 on Nov. 11, 2005) for the fastest natural hat trick in Jets/Thrashers history. Two of Monahan’s three goals came on the power play, which has suddenly turned the corner going 4-for-7 in the last two games. Monahan has three of those four power play goals.

“Yeah, I think just more comfortable making reads, I think we’re getting pucks to the net,” said Monahan.

“When you get a couple on the power play and get some confidence, I think that goes a long way.”