The Winnipeg Jets are finding little solace anywhere these days. On Friday night, they lost their fourth straight home, 5-2, to the Chicago Blackhawks.
Corey Crawford had 28 saves in Hawks’ 4th straight win – file photo by Lewis Bleiman
The Jets fell to 25-28-4 on the campaign and the second wild card spot is becoming a faint sight on the horizon.
“There are factors to it. Anything that I say is going to sound like an excuse so I really don’t want to make them,” Jets head coach Paul Maurice said after another loss. “The ability to drive and dominate, to get on any kind of runs, one piece of your game has to be elite at different times. So your goaltender has to get real hot for a few games and then special teams have to get hot for a few games and then that ability to drive in night in and night out gives you that. Yeah, there’s some consistency that’s not there in our game, that’s true.”
Artemi Panarin had a goal and three points in the win and Patrick Kane and Artem Anisimov each had a goal and two points on the night.
“I think it’s even more important that, you know, we were in the same position against them the last time, up a goal in the third, and didn’t get the job done,” Kane said.
Corey Crawford made 28 saves to pick up the win for Chicago.
“We did what we had to tonight, scored a late goal, big goal there by [Keith] and couple empty-netters,” Kane said. “[It] feels good to beat these guys, especially after they’ve had the success they’ve had against us.”
Bryan Little and Adam Lowry were the goal scorers for the Jets.
“I thought we had a bit of a slow start,” Little said. “I thought they came out hungry and controlled a lot of the play early in the game and got that goal right away. I thought we did a good job in the second and the third battling back and getting our chances and making it a close game.”
Connor Hellebuyck made 31 saves in the loss for Winnipeg.
WATCH: All Blackhawks vs. Jets highlights
Duncan Keith and Marian Hossa also scored for the Blackhawks.
“We’ve been trying to find that part (offense) of our game, whether it’s the defensemen incorporating into the rush, jumping off points. Our possession zone time has been way more effective and more dangerous with chances made off the rush. You don’t have to defend as much,” Chicago head coach Joel Quenneville said of his team’s offense.
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