The Winnipeg Jets ran into a familiar wall last night - the Tampa Bay Lightning. Despite keeping things tight for much of the game, the Jets couldn’t hang on, falling 4-1 in a result that’s becoming all too common for teams facing the Bolts.
That loss drops Winnipeg to 1-2-1 over their last four, cooling off a bit after a promising 5-1-1 stretch. With 29 games left on the schedule, they sit 10 points out of the final wild card spot - though they do have a game in hand.
Injury-wise, the blue line continues to be a patchwork. Neal Pionk is the only one of the Jets' injured trio who’s been spotted skating, and even then, he’s still in a non-contact jersey.
Haydn Fleury and Colin Miller remain sidelined as well, and head coach Scott Arniel’s most recent update - now four days old - didn’t offer much optimism. None of the three are expected to return before the Olympic break next week.
There was a bit of buzz at today’s skate. Pionk was out there in a non-contact sweater, and several players were testing out their Olympic gear. With tomorrow’s game being a matinee, there won’t be a morning skate, so this session carried a little more weight - and yes, Connor Hellebuyck went through his usual starter’s routine.
Here’s how the Jets lined up in practice:
Forward Lines:
- Kyle Connor - Mark Scheifele - Alex Iafallo
- Cole Perfetti - Adam Lowry - Gabriel Vilardi
- Nino Niederreiter - Jonathan Toews - Vladislav Namestnikov
- Cole Koepke - Morgan Barron - Gustav Nyquist
- Tanner Pearson (extra)
Defense Pairs:
- Josh Morrissey - Dylan DeMelo
- Dylan Samberg - Elias Salomonsson
- Logan Stanley - Luke Schenn
- Declan Phillips - Neal Pionk (non-contact)
Goaltenders:
- Connor Hellebuyck
- Eric Comrie
As for what Arniel had to say post-practice, he touched on several key topics. He discussed the need for adjustments, especially coming off the loss to the Lightning. He revisited the previous matchup with the Panthers and gave his take on the collision between Stanley and Kucherov.
A couple of players were in the spotlight: Gustav Nyquist, who the coach wants to see more from offensively, and Namestnikov, whose contributions away from the puck were praised even if they haven’t shown up on the scoresheet. Arniel also highlighted Elias Salomonsson’s performance, noting the young defenseman’s poise and decision-making in a tough matchup. Finally, he addressed the decision to move Lowry up to the second line, looking to shake things up and generate more balance across the top six.
The Jets are back at it tomorrow in a matinee matchup. With the playoff picture starting to come into sharper focus, every point matters - and Winnipeg’s margin for error is getting thinner.