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The good news for the Winnipeg Jets is that they found a way to score on last year’s four-time Vezina Trophy winning goaltender on Thursday night.
The bad news is that their opponents scored six goals.
A four-goal second-period surge by the Tampa Bay Lightning helped them beat the Winnipeg Jets 6-4, sending Winnipeg to its seventh straight loss and a 4-6-3 overall record.
Jets head coach Scott Arniel shook up the team’s front line, splitting Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele. This led to the Jets scoring four goals for the second time this season.
But the defense was an issue tonight as the Jets allowed three goals in about three minutes for the second game in a row.
“It’s quite frustrating,” Arniel said. “Again, a three-minute span in the second half we conceded three goals. And that, you’re a professional hockey player, that’s professionalism. You have a job to do, and just stay focused and do it.
“We can’t have brain cramps like that. We can’t have situations where you miss assignments.”
The Jets trailed 5-1 after two periods but scored three goals in the final frame to make it interesting before an empty-netter sealed their fate.
“We just weren’t sharp in all areas,” Connor said. “Power play, PK (penalty kill), 5-on-5, it was just a little flat. We needed a little jam, and I think that’s what led to the success in the third quarter.
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“We’re very aware that we haven’t played our best recently. We have to get out of this slump and maybe a third is the recipe for success here. Hopefully we can replicate that in the future.”
The Jets’ power play was 0-for-2 on the night and they are now 0-for-16 on the man advantage in their last six games.
They have now conceded the first goal in the last five games in a row.
“It wasn’t a good start,” Jets defenseman Neal Pionk said. “We tried well in the third quarter, but it was too late. As Arny always says, we have to play the full 60 (minutes).”
Pionk scored twice in the loss, while Connor and Dylan Samberg had the Jets’ other markers. Scheifele recorded three assists after going four straight games without a point.
Dawson Mercer had an assist on his first point with the Jets, while Nico Daws replaced Stuart Skinner in goal for the third period and stopped all nine shots he faced.
After scoring just five goals in his last four games, Arniel overhauled his top two forward lines, moving Connor to the second line, while moving Gabriel Vilardi to the top unit to separate Connor and Scheifele for the first time this season.
“I spoke to both of them yesterday about it,” Arniel said. “And they were both very supportive of it.
“We need more than just scoring one goal and they realize that. I like leadership from that perspective. Right now we need to win by doing that.”
The Lightning are now 6-0 at home this season.
Just over two minutes in, the Lightning struck first when Brayden Point broke free from the slot and fired a shot past Jets goaltender Stuart Skinner’s blocker.
But before the period ended, the Jets responded when Pionk, playing his 600th NHL game, drilled a shot from the penalty spot and past Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy to tie the score.
With the game still tied just before the midway point of play in the second half, the Lightning took over with the Manitobans starting a Lightning surge. Strathclair’s Conor Geekie converted a pass from Dominic James into a two-on-one for Tampa’s lead.
And then in the final five minutes of the period, the Lightning struck three times — Anthony Cirelli on a powerplay, John Carlson on a one-time pass from Pontus Holmberg, and Brandon Hagel capitalizing on a Jets turnover in their own zone.
Skinner was withdrawn in the second intermission after allowing five goals on 21 shots, meaning Daws made his debut in the third period after being cut by the New Jersey Devils last week.
And the Jets finally put the game away with Samberg, Pionk and Connor all scoring in the final frame, cutting the lead to one. But with Daws pulled, Holmberg scored in an empty net, giving him four points on the night.
Cirelli and Hagel both had three points while, for the Jets, Cole Perfetti added a pair.
The Jets are right back at it Friday night when they visit the Florida Panthers, looking for revenge after a 5-1 loss on Tuesday, with puck drop just after 6 p.m.
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