A two game trip into Ontario resulted in only one point for the Winnipeg Jets, and left the team with a heavy road schedule coming up, still looking for its first road win.
For the second game in a row it was penalties that gave the opposition momentum. In Toronto a 3-1 lead was erased with two Leaf power play goals, last night in Ottawa a 1-0 lead was erased by a Senators power play goal.
For the third straight game the Jets opened the scoring. It came on a blast from Dustin Byfuglien at 14:39 of the first, after Ondre Pavelec made some big saves early as the Sens got early pressure off a double minor for high sticking to Alexander Burmistrov.
In an effort to find some production Coach Claude Noel did some line juggling late in the second sending Evander Kane out with Nik Antropov and Alexander Burmistrov, who turns 20 today. Of Burmistrov Coach Noel simply said "he's been our best forward."
Kane, Bryan Little and Blake Wheeler all still looking for their first goal of the season. The lines got shuffled again in the third, and then got mixed even more when the Jets lost Andrew Ladd (hit in face by puck) and Wheeler (lower body) to injuries. Both did return and both will be re-evaluated today to see what their status is for home games Saturday against Carolina (TSN 1290) and Monday against the New York Rangers (TSN Jets, TSN 1290). Wheeler had four shots on goal, two blocked and another four he missed the net. He acknowledged his frustration in a post game interview on TSN Jets.
Turnovers again hurt the Jets, especially when scoring is tough to come by. "You can be happy the effort but this game is about producing," stated Coach Noel in his post game news conference. "Scorers need to score, checkers need to check. This roster has shown in the past it can score. We were not rewarded for some good things we did, then I moved people around to try and get some guys untracked."
The Jets were much better on face offs in the third and outshot Ottawa 14 – 6 in the final period.. Craig Anderson was very good in goal for the Sens, stopping 35 or 36 shots including 5 of 6 from Byfuglien.
Jets were minus Jim Slater, out with the flu, and Ron Hainsey, upper body. After these two home games the Jets take to the road for 7 straight over a two week period. There were plenty of Jets fans both in Toronto and Ottawa.