BOSTON – The Winnipeg Jets ran into the top team in the Eastern Conference on Monday night falling 4-1 to the Boston Bruins at TD Garden. Vladislav Namestnikov scored the only goal for Winnipeg and Nikolaj Ehlers led the team with four shots on goal. Connor Hellebuyck allowed three goals against for the first time since a 3-2 overtime loss in Montreal on December 18.
NOT MUCH ROOM
The Jets and Bruins played a tight checking game tonight as both teams combined for just 42 shots (each team had 21). Rick Bowness said earlier today that he expected the Bruins to be better than they were in Winnipeg last month (a 5-1 Jets win) and they were. Kyle Connor said that he felt the Jets lacked urgency from the start of the game.
"Just effort and execution. I thought we were really sloppy in passes and just not on the same page,” said Connor.
“You can't do that against a team like this."
LINE SHUFFLING
In an effort to get some offence from his group Rick Bowness put Vladislav Namestnikov between Nikolaj Ehlers and Kyle Connor and reunited Adam Lowry with Mason Appleton and Nino Niederreiter. The third period was the Jets best with both Ehlers and Lowry having glorious chances to tie the game at two only to be turned aside by Jeremy Stayman. The Jets outshot Boston 11-6 in the final frame.
“Well clearly, we weren't generating anything, so we had to change something,” said Bowness after the game.
“In the third period we created a lot more chances and put a lot more pucks at the net, so we got what we wanted. We just didn't get that second goal."
A COUPLE STREAKS END
The Jets franchise record streak of allowing two goals or less ended at 14 games when Jake DeBrusk scored a shorthanded goal to make it 3-1 at 14:35. Winnipeg pulled Hellebuyck looking for more offence, but Brad Marchand scored into the empty net at 19:05 thus ending the franchise record of allowing three goals or less at 34 games. That’s one game short of the modern era mark set by the Minnesota Wild in 2015.
