The Winnipeg Jets find themselves in a precarious position in the Western Conference standings and they do nothing to help their cause.
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Faced with the weak Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday, they fell 3-1, dropping two valuable points. Consequently, they are seven points behind the Dallas Stars, holders of the last place giving access to the playoffs, while having played two more games. The wiggle room is zero in Manitoba, where the Jets host the Colorado Avalanche on Friday before visiting the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens on Sunday and Monday.
A three-game losing streak is never desirable, and even less so at this time of year when a single point can make the difference. The Jets players are well aware of this and also seemed in a bad mood after their last unproductive evening.
“Obviously we can’t afford to lose those games right now. It’s a game we shouldn’t skip,” defenseman Josh Morrissey told NHL.com. Our schedule was advantageous and we are desperate, while they played a second game in as many nights. It’s frustrating. I think every guy in the locker room knows that.”
For his part, head coach Dave Lowry laments that his men have been unable to fill the enemy nets in their last two meetings at home; they lost 3-2 to the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.
“I think we missed a few opportunities. We had good chances that we created each other, hoping to make the next play, the required pass. […] We did some good things, but we gave life and momentum to the opponent, so he had a reason to hang on.”
Impossible mission?
The Jets are pretty much doomed if they want to extend their season beyond April 29. In addition to their substantial delay on the Stars, they have only 11 games left to play. And between Dallas and Winnipeg in the standings are the Vegas Golden Knights (ninth with 82 points) and the Vancouver Canucks, who have exactly the same number of points as the Jets in the same total of games played.
More bad news for Lowry’s men: a few opponents on the menu between now and the end of hostilities are quite dangerous, including the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes, which they will visit successively from April 15 to 21. The “Avs” will have to present themselves twice at the Canada Life Center, against once for the Calgary Flames.