“You need to play with emotion, you need to play with passion.”
Those were the words of Winnipeg Jets coach Rick Bowness after Thursday night’s game with the Edmonton Oilers. And for the most part, this version of the Jets has played the whole season with emotion and passion. They have played — or should I say, they’re learning to play — the right way. The frustration for most Winnipeggers is that, as strong a start as this team has had, these last two home games resulted in no points.
The Jets are playing the right way — playing physical, fast with emotion and passion. But sometimes, it’s the little stuff that jumps up and bites you.
Tuesday, it was the two five-on-three power plays, and a hot goalie. Thursday night, it was never having the puck off the faceoff and a flukey goal in the third that changed the course of a 1-0 lead into a 3-1 loss. And when I mean never having the puck, I mean never having the puck. Edmonton won 71 per cent of the faceoffs in the game, including 13 of 20 in the third period. It’s tough to start a scoring play when you don’t start with the puck.
For 40 minutes, the team went toe to toe with Connor McDavid and the resurgent Oilers. In fact, it was a frustrating night for the Oilers star. Adam Lowry, Dylan DeMelo and Neal Pionk did a great job against No. 97 — and it was only in the faceoff dot, where McDavid won 16 of 18, that the game’s best player made a real impact.
Truthfully, though, the frustration of the team’s third straight loss shouldn’t detract from the team playing the right way. They are doing far more right than they are wrong.
By the way: 13, 611. That’s how many people were in attendance for Thursday night’s Jets-Oilers game.
That’s almost 1,500 people short of a sell-out at Canada Life Centre. And yet it was the largest crowd of the season for the Jets. In my opinion, the frustrating result last night means little; 13,611 means a lot.