Scheifele scores, but Jets drop road trip opener in Dallas

Learning is never a linear path, and the most recent example came in Dallas for the Winnipeg Jets (1-1-0) on Monday night.
They got off to a good start with Mark Scheifele opening the scoring, but the Stars (3-0-0) scored four unanswered the rest of the way to hand the Jets their first loss of the season.
There was always going to be an adjustment period to the new systems, and the setback at the American Airlines Center was exactly that.
"They transition well. They track hard. They don't give you a whole lot through the neutral zone," said defenceman Josh Morrissey. "We had a hard time establishing our forecheck in the second period and it fit into their strengths. It's a learning opportunity for us."

Scheifele's goal gives him tallies in four straight games in Dallas, as well as 11 points in his last 10 in the Lone Star State.
That was the only puck the Jets got past Jake Oettinger, as the visitors couldn't convert on five power play opportunities in the contest and start a three-game road trip on the losing side.
"We didn't have enough guys around to make it difficult in case there was a rebound," said Adam Lowry of Winnipeg's 25 shots on goal. "There are a lot of areas we're going to improve upon. It's the second game, we're disappointed with the result and we know we can play better. There is a lot of room for us to improve and we're looking forward to that."

Just as he did in Winnipeg's first game of the season, Scheifele opened the scoring for the Jets on Monday. With Kyle Connor creating space on the zone entry with his speed up the middle, Scheifele bumped off to Connor's left into space. Connor slowed up, feathered a pass over to Scheifele who wired a rocket from the top of the circle past Jake Oettinger 3:28 into the first.
But Scheifele's long-time 'last one off the ice after warm-up' opponent from Dallas tied things up just under seven minutes later. The Stars won a puck battle in the corner to Connor Hellebuyck's right, and Ty Dellandrea sent a quick backhand pass in front of the net, and Seguin made no mistake on the quick release for his first of the season.
Associate coach Scott Arniel saw that Seguin goal as a theme for the night, specifically a certain area of the defensive zone that the Jets need to clean up.
"Our whole premise of our D-zone coverage is protecting the guts of the ice. We let people get in there alone," he said. "We let them get some pretty good looks. The Seguin goal was us looking around and not finding the most dangerous guy. When we're on our game, we're doing a good job between the dots in our end of the rink and tonight we were a little bit soft in that area."

Dallas kept up the momentum in the second after the Jets couldn't convert on two power play opportunities. First, Jani Hakanpaa blasted a shot from the right point that evaded Hellebuyck shortly after a Stars power play had ended. Then, 1:50 later, the Stars made the Jets pay for being unable to clear a puck after a scramble in front of Hellebuyck. The puck came back to Esa Lindell at the left point, and he found Joel Kiviranta in the right circle for a one-timer that went off a sprawling Hellebuyck and in.
Thanks to those two goals - which came with less than five minutes remaining in the second - it was 3-1 Stars after 40 minutes.
"In the second period they started playing with more speed, more transition. We didn't have an answer for it," said Lowry. "That's something we take a look at and see where we can improve in the neutral zone and managing pucks and things like that. Maybe be a little more direct."
A Logan Stanley slashing penalty in the third period gave the Stars the opening they needed to make it 4-1. Miro Heiskanen's point shot 8:12 into the third went through two bodies, then Brenden Dillon's skate, and past Hellebuyck, giving the Stars defenceman his second goal of the campaign.
It's the first goal the Jets have given up on the penalty kill this season. The goal against was even more painful given the fact the Jets had five power plays of their own - including a four-minute stretch midway through the third - to try and get back in the game.

But Morrissey points to the two power plays in the second as what could have been the turning point. Overall, the Jets went 0-for-5 on the man advantage.
"In these tight Central Division games, basically a 1-1 game for a lot of that first half at least, that's where special teams has to be the difference," Morrissey said. "In that second period - when it could have gone either way - we could have got one we weren't able to put one in, but again it's early. We'll look at ways to improve there as well."
Next up, the Jets take on the defending Stanley Cup champions in Colorado on Wednesday before closing the road trip on Thursday against the Vegas Golden Knights.
"Obviously this back-to-back is a tough challenge - Vegas off to a great start and Colorado is one of the best teams in the league," said Lowry. "It's good to learn from the mistakes. We'll use tomorrow to try and correct those and so we're ready for the transition game. We know the next two games, the speed and transition is going to be a major focus."