Jets Fall to Red-Hot Lightning on Gasparilla Night, But Kyle Connor Breaks Through
It was Gasparilla Night in Tampa, and while the crowd at the Benchmark International Arena was decked out in pirate gear, the Winnipeg Jets couldn’t pull off a heist of their own. The Tampa Bay Lightning, one of the NHL’s hottest teams right now, made sure of that. With eight wins in their last ten, the Bolts kept the pressure on all night, and Winnipeg just didn’t have enough answers in a 4-1 loss.
Let’s break down three key takeaways from a game that, while tough in the short term, might help shape the Jets’ longer-term strategy.
Kyle Connor Ends Goal Drought with Deflection Goal
Kyle Connor finally got back on the scoresheet-and not a moment too soon. The Jets’ top winger came into this one riding a five-game goalless streak, but he snapped out of it with a slick deflection midway through the second period.
The goal came off a well-orchestrated sequence from Winnipeg’s top line. Connor, Mark Scheifele, and Gabe Vilardi worked the puck around with precision before it found its way to Dylan Samberg at the point. Samberg let it rip, and Connor, parked in front of the net, got just enough of it to redirect past Andrei Vasilevskiy.
It was one of the few high-danger chances the Jets generated all night, but it was a reminder of what Connor can do when he finds space and gets the puck in the right spot. For a team that’s leaned heavily on its top line for offense, seeing Connor get back in rhythm is a welcome sign-even in a losing effort.
Morgan Barron Hits 300-Game Milestone
A tip of the cap to Morgan Barron, who reached the 300-game mark in his NHL career. Drafted by the Rangers back in 2017, the 27-year-old forward has carved out a consistent role in Winnipeg over the past few seasons. And while he’s not always in the spotlight, Barron continues to do the little things right.
His fourth line, alongside Cole Koepke and Tanner Pearson, has been quietly effective of late. Koepke has scored in two of his last three, and the trio was buzzing again in this one.
They generated four high-danger chances and didn’t give up a single one. That kind of responsible, gritty play doesn’t always show up on the scoresheet, but it matters-especially for a team searching for consistency deeper down the lineup.
Barron’s milestone is a testament to his reliability and work ethic. He’s become a trusted piece in the Jets’ bottom six, and performances like this one show why.
Defensive Depth Still a Concern
If there’s one area that continues to haunt Winnipeg, it’s the play of the third defensive pair. Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn had another rough outing, and it’s becoming a recurring theme. Both players have been mentioned as potential trade candidates, and games like this likely won’t quiet that chatter.
The problems weren’t entirely on them-forward coverage in the defensive zone was lacking too-but the pair struggled to contain Tampa’s pressure. On Darren Raddysh’s second-period blast, a miscommunication between Schenn and Scheifele left Hellebuyck with a tough read through traffic. Then, just minutes after Connor’s goal made it a one-goal game, Yanni Gourde found time and space in the slot for a perfectly placed tip to stretch the lead again.
By the end of the night, Schenn was a -2, Stanley a -3 (including the empty netter), and the Lightning had spent far too much time cycling the puck in Winnipeg’s zone. For a team trying to stay competitive in a tight playoff race-or one that might pivot toward selling at the deadline-shoring up that third pair is going to be a key storyline in the weeks ahead.
What’s Next
The Jets won’t have much time to dwell on this one. They head to Sunrise next for a Saturday afternoon rematch with the Florida Panthers.
Whether Winnipeg decides to push for the playoffs or start looking toward June’s draft, games like this are starting to shape that direction. The effort is there-but against top-tier teams like Tampa, the margin for error is razor thin.