No time for what may need been as Jets look to regroup in closing stretch

WINNIPEG — It was the morning after a disappointing loss and the Winnipeg Jets had been left to select up the items and acquire their respective ideas.

A highly-optional skate was held and the probing questions bounced between the missed likelihood in opposition to the Calgary Flames and the incoming problem within the type of the Nashville Predators.

Whether or not or not the Jets discover themselves within the land of alternative or on the highway to damage, fairly frankly, stays to be seen.

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It’s not possible to disregard the very fact the Jets did not ship a knockout blow to the Calgary Flames’ playoff hopes on Wednesday night time. The three-1 defeat left the 2 groups tied within the Western Convention standings with 89 factors.

Sure, the Jets are nonetheless answerable for the spot due to a recreation in hand, however that tilt will likely be performed in opposition to the red-hot Colorado Avalanche, a staff with so much nonetheless on the road. They’re locked right into a battle for the highest spot within the Central Division with the Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars and likewise stay in rivalry for first general within the West.

Whether or not or not the ultimate recreation of the common season for the Jets turns into a real must-win situation or not is a query for one more day.

In the meanwhile, the Jets are searching for a option to regroup and decide themselves off the mat in the same method to how the Flames overcame what may have been a crushing loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night time.

“That was an ideal instance,” mentioned Jets defenceman Brenden Dillon. “Robust schedule, excuses, no matter it might be, Calgary got here in right here and performed an important recreation. For us, too, we’ve received to take the great from what we did, take the negatives and sort of simply be taught from it general. In a seven-game playoff sequence, you possibly can win a recreation 10-0 but it surely’s solely price one recreation.

“Nashville is preventing for his or her lives, so it’s going to be one other nice instance of playoff-type hockey. Tight checking, low-scoring and for us, it’s going to be lesson we will be taught.”

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Whereas it’s simple – and pure – to give attention to the previous, the Jets can’t waste any time questioning about what may need been had they not stumbled throughout the stretch.

Factors left to realize are far more essential than factors misplaced at this stage of the proceedings.

“Actually, it’s essentially the most thrilling a part of the 12 months,” mentioned Jets ahead Nino Niederreiter. “You play 82 video games and also you need to get into the playoffs. Now we put ourselves ready the place we nonetheless can management our personal future. Which is enjoyable. However we all know what’s at stake. Clearly, the loss (Wednesday) night time made issues a bit more durable than they’re purported to be. However we undoubtedly embrace the challenges.”

A victory over the Flames would have minimized the significance of scoreboard-watching for the Jets.

Now they’ll must be cognizant of what’s taking place with each the Flames and the Predators – who go head-to-head on Monday night time in one other recreation with huge implications on the ultimate seed. 

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“No, you have a look at the standings, you look across the league at what the scores are, however we will management our personal future,” mentioned Niederreiter, when requested if the tightness of the race makes it a traumatic scenario. “I feel that’s what issues essentially the most.”

Niederreiter is sort of aware of Saturday’s opponent, as he was a member of that staff earlier than the selection was made by the group to be a vendor on the NHL commerce deadline.

For all the chatter in regards to the Predators being an underdog or a longshot, they’ve continued to remain within the race and will pull inside a single level of the Jets with a victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night time.

Let’s simply say the Predators are enjoying with the equal of home cash and that’s often been mirrored of their play, which has been backed by sensible goaltending from Juuse Saros.

“They’re undoubtedly hanging round. The factor with them is that they haven’t any expectations proper now,” mentioned Niederreiter. “They offered numerous gamers, traded away numerous gamers. Now they will play with no strain, figuring out they don’t must make the playoffs. 

“Clearly in the event that they make it, it’s nice and so they undoubtedly deserve it. However they haven’t any strain, so it’s undoubtedly a special scenario they’re in. However they’re hockey membership. They’ve a terrific goaltender, they’ve some younger forwards who can undoubtedly play some nice hockey.”

Discovering a option to play nice hockey with consistency is important for the Jets, who will now look to recapture the great emotions they generated final weekend with a pair of wins over the Detroit Pink Wings and New Jersey Devils.

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It’s not just like the Jets had been overwhelmed by the second on Wednesday, however they fairly merely didn’t discover – or maintain – a excessive sufficient degree for 60 minutes.

There have been instances the Jets had been a bit tentative, which meant they had been unable to impose their will on the opponent or dictate the phrases by which the sport can be performed.

These are issues that may fall below the class of classes discovered that Dillon referenced earlier.

“Everyone knows what’s at stake,” mentioned Dillon. “All of us need to do the fitting factor and need to get there.”

Throughout a stretch that appears to be stuffed with season-defining moments, the Jets are about to be offered with one other likelihood to provide one.

Doing so would require hanging that ever-important steadiness of enjoying with urgency whereas additionally being free sufficient to be at a degree the place they will discover their collective A-game in opposition to an opponent with simply as a lot at stake.

“We’ve talked about simply zooming in on the second itself. If we win three video games, we’re just about assured in,” mentioned Jets affiliate head coach Scott Arniel. “We are able to’t give attention to that. We now have to give attention to our particular person video games, what you are able to do as a participant that may convey profit to our hockey membership, and simply exit and do this.

“We all know what we’ve to do in opposition to a staff that’s going to be determined, we simply must play a wise hockey recreation like we all know we will do.”

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