Blake Wheeler didn’t see the same intensity from his team Sunday that the Winnipeg Jets displayed over the first two games of their first-round playoff series.
That stung them in a Game 3 loss to the Minnesota Wild.
Minnesota scored four second-period goals Sunday en route to a 6-2 win over the Jets, halving Winnipeg’s series lead to 2-1.
“It’s one game in a seven-game series. We didn’t play anywhere near our level tonight, and it’s a fine line for us,” said the Jets captain. “We need to play with team speed, like we were able to accomplish the second half of both Games 1 and 2.
“They came out extremely hard, it’s not a death sentence by any means in this building. But when that second period started, we weren’t able to get faster. And that’s when the game changed. They stuck with it, and we just weren’t able to get to our speed we needed to get to.
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Jets coach Paul Maurice echoed Wheeler’s assessment of the team’s play.
“Our game is based on some speed and some quickness and that was pretty much lacking in our game,” said Maurice.
“We didn’t move the puck well. Didn’t skate as well as we need to, to defend and we also didn’t generate.”
It was the first win for the Wild in the best-of-seven series, and left the Jets still looking for their first road playoff win in franchise history.
Eric Staal, Marcus Foligno, Jordan Greenway and Matt Dumba scored in the second period, while Zach Parise and Mikael Granlund scored in the first. Greenway’s tally was his first in the NHL.
Wheeler and Tyler Myers scored for the Jets, but Myers left the game in the second period after an awkward collision with the boards and did not return. Starter Connor Hellebuyck had 16 saves in the opening 40 minutes, but did not finish the game.
Minnesota set a franchise record for goals in a home playoff game, and showed some offensive ambition after being held to 20 shots or fewer in the series’ first two games in Winnipeg. Devan Dubnyk had 29 saves.
Read more: Travel delay barely alters Jets gameday routine
The Jets tried to travel to St. Paul on Saturday, but were diverted to Duluth, Minn., due to a spring blizzard that closed the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport. They eventually returned to Winnipeg and did not arrive in Minnesota until Sunday morning.
Game 4 is Tuesday night in Minnesota.
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