Jets lose third in a row

The Winnipeg Jets came close to keeping the Blues off the board on the power play, killing off their first four chances before Philip Broberg made them pay on their fifth. His goal proved to be the game-winner as the Jets dropped their third straight game with a 2-1 loss to St. Louis.

Cole Perfetti scored the lone goal for Winnipeg, while Stuart Skinner turned aside 26 shots in another solid performance. The loss drops the Jets to 4-3-2 on the season.

The Jets were hoping some changes to the middle six would help produce some secondary scoring but the Björck and Lowry lines combined for eight shots.

"That's a mindset. That's something you work at in practice. That's something that every time you get a chance in practice, and to bear down and put the puck in the net," said head coach Scott Arniel.

"Those are things you have to work on all the time. And greasy goals, the stuff around the net front, get yourself into those hard areas."

Arniel was happy with how Alex Iafallo looked on the second line with Björck and Gabriel Vilardi.

"I liked that line. I think that line spent an awful lot of the time down in their end," said Arniel.

"Again, their looks, gotta find a way obviously to finish it. Al's kind of a glue guy, I liked a lot of what he brought to that line."

The Jets came out with plenty of pressure early in the first period, outshooting the Blues 8-1, but Hofer stood tall to keep the game scoreless.

St. Louis eventually found its footing and began pushing back. After Stuart Skinner made a couple of excellent saves, Dylan Holloway’s pass deflected off Jimmy Snuggerud’s skate and past the Jets netminder at 12:30 of the first period to give the Blues the opening goal.

Cole Perfetti came close to tying the game in the second period when the puck found him in the slot. He tried to beat Hofer with a backhand, but the Blues netminder flashed the glove to keep the Jets off the board and preserve the 1-0 lead.

Just over two minutes later, the Jets came close again, this time while shorthanded. Morgan Barron broke in on a two-on-one, but Hofer came up with another glove save to keep the Jets off the board as the Blues carried their 1-0 lead into the third period.

The Jets’ patience finally paid off early in the third period, as they found the equalizer just as their power play expired. Gabe Vilardi spotted Cole Perfetti alone in front of the Blues’ net, and Perfetti beat Hofer through the pads for his sixth goal of the season.

“Ah, yeah, it's obviously it's nice. It feels good,” said Perfetti.

“You want to help the team in any way possible, and if that's on the score sheet, that's one way to do it.”

With less than 12 minutes remaining in the third, the Blues regained the lead with Dylan Samberg in the penalty box. On their fifth power play of the night, Philip Broberg unleashed a slap shot that beat Skinner just under the glove to put St. Louis back in front. Winnipeg had done a great job with the first four penalty kills, but a well placed shot by the Blues defenceman got the Blues the winning goal.

"We were fantastic on the PK and as you're really good on the PK, teams tend to change things," said Skinner.

"So, it's just a smart play spreading us out, getting a good one-time look in the middle. Tough way to get the loss."

The Jets came close to tying it with two minutes left, Kyle Connor had a glorious opportunity in the slot, but Hofer made the save. The Winnipeg product has saved some of his best efforts against his hometown team and Tuesday night was no different as Hofer finished with 32 saves.

The road doesn’t get easier for Winnipeg as they will head to Dallas to face the Stars on Thursday.