The Winnipeg Jets have lost yet another game.
The Winnipeg Jets have dropped a season-high sixth-straight game.
And it couldn't have come at a worse time.
Entering Saturday's affair on a 0-4-1 slump, Winnipeg did little to restore any positive postseason hope in its fanbase, with a 3-2 loss to the 26th-place Ottawa Senators.
Despite the loss, Saturday was a big day for Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck.
The prime time Hockey Night in Canada showdown with the Senators marked career game No. 500 for the now veteran backstop.
Drafted 130th overall in the fifth round of the 2012 NHL Draft out of the Odessa Jackalopes, Hellebuyck has gone on to be the Jets' No. 1 goaltender and one of the league's very best backstops, if not the best goaltender of the 64 rostered players in that position.
Currently sitting first among all qualified backstops with a .920 save percentage and second with a 2.41 goals against average, he has 270 wins and 36 shutouts to his name over his nine seasons of play.
On the season, he is 32-19-4 and sits fourth in wins, league-wide.
The Saturday night affair also marked the return of big offseason addition Gabe Vilardi to the fold, following a 15-game injury absence. He had been out of the Jets' lineup since late February with an enlarged spleen.
A scoreless first period gave way to two quick goals in the middle stanza, as the two clubs went bang-bang, making the game 1-1 in short order.
Just 1:58 into the second period, Ehlers put his 22nd of the season past Joonas Korpisalo. The play began off a setup from Dylan DeMelo, who got the puck to Sean Monahan. His shot landed at the feet Ehlers, who made no mistake putting the garbage in the net, and doing so emphatically.
But the visitors responded less than two minutes later, as Boris Katchouk finished off a two-on-one off a difficult Winnipeg turnover.
"We're standing still," Rick Bowness said of the play leading to the goal. "Any time you're standing still when you make those plays, and they're moving, you're going to put yourself in a bad position. Again, it's just making the right read. Trying to make poor percentage plays and then it's a bad read on top of that. It just magnifies it. That's what it looks like."
And before the period could expire, Ottawa added another, taking its first lead in the game. It was former Brandon Wheat Kings captain Ridly Greig, who outworked the Jets in Winnipeg's defensive zone, before tucking the disc past the outstretched leg of Connor Hellebuyck, making it 2-1.
Through 40 minutes the teams were separated by just one goal and each had put up 15 shots on net as the third period began.
After 19-straight unsuccessful power play opportunities the Jets finally got on the board with the extra man.
With Greig in the box for hooking midway through the frame, Winnipeg made the Senators pay. It was Scheifele, who got his 23rd of the season, pulling back ahead of Ehlers and snapping the Jets out of their power play lull. Kyle Connor and Josh Morrissey picked up helpers the play.
With Brenden Dillon in the box for high-sticking late in the game, Brady Tkachuk pounded home what would ultimately go on to be the game-winning power play strike with 1:45 to go.
Despite an onslaught of shot blocks, the Jets were just unable to get the puck out of their zone, giving up the go-ahead goal to Tkachuk - his 33rd of the season.
With 59 seconds to play and Hellebuyck on the bench for the extra attacker, Winnipeg drew its fourth power play of the night, as Tyler Toffoli's stick was snapped in two by defender Artem Zub.
Sean Monahan came within an inch of tying the game, but could not put the finishing touches on a slot opportunity in front of the net.
The puck trickled past the net, sealing the deal on Winnipeg's sixth-straight loss.
“We certainly need more from certain players, we do," Bowness said. "Every team does. When you’re going through a (slide) like this, you just need more from everybody and we’re going to get that. We’re going to have to (have) a little bit more desperation from the start of the game and on. Again, we’re just finding ways (to lose). You take a late penalty, those things hurt you. We’re finding ways to lose games. We’ll get going again. We’ll find ways to win games. We’ll get going again.”
Hellebuyck finished the night with 24 stops on the 27 Senators shots he faced, while Korpisalo turned aside 26 pucks on the evening.
Winnipeg continues its season-high five-game homestand on Monday and Thursday with tests against the Los Angeles Kings and Calgary Flames, respectively. Monday's game gets underway at 8:00 PM central time, while Thursday sees a 7:00 PM start time. Both can be viewed live on TSN.
