As a late 5-on-3 power play expired, Connor whistled home a wrist shot from the right circle with 1.8 seconds left in the opening period to put the Jets on top 1-0. It came on Winnipeg's 12th shot of the first period, and they only gave up two to Columbus.
"We felt good in the first period," said Nikolaj Ehlers, who had five shots of his own in the contest. "Then all the penalties started coming on both sides. That kind of changes the rhythm of the game."
Yes, the penalties did come. Winnipeg took five minor penalties in the final 40 minutes, including three in the second period. Bowness felt penalties turned the momentum in the opening period of the 3-2 shootout win over Seattle - where the Jets opened with a 10-2 edge in shots on goal - and it happened again on Thursday at Nationwide Arena.
"When you get some things going and you're playing really well, the last thing you want to do is take back to back penalties and get their (top) guys out there," he said. "You take a couple penalties and all of a sudden you're on your heels a little bit. Listen, we've been one of the most disciplined teams all year. We've been one of the least penalized teams."
The Blue Jackets responded on a power play of their own halfway through the second, as Patrik Laine's wrist shot from the circle just beat Rittich over the left shoulder. Rittich had stopped a Laine one-timer earlier on the man advantage, but wasn't able to prevent Laine's first goal in seven games from sneaking just inside the post.
"We're trying to roll four lines and you got guys that don't necessarily go out on the kill or vice versa on the power play, we had a couple of stretches," said Connor. "Whether we agree with the calls or not, we've got to find a way to win and we didn't."
The final of three 5-on-3 power play chances for the Jets came early in the third, but they couldn't capitalize to turn momentum back in their favour. Bowness hinted that some personnel changes could be coming, as the Jets will practice on Saturday before taking on the New Jersey Devils on Sunday.
Connor liked what the Jets generated, but felt they left some chances out there.
"We just got to bear down," he said. "I thought we had some looks, change it up, try to draw them high. A couple of down low plays, a couple of one-timers on top.
"(It's) frustrating, for sure."
The home side took their first lead in the third, just seconds after the Jets killed off a Neal Pionk tripping penalty. With 10:20 left in regulation, Kent Johnson's no-look wrist shot from the right wing boards squeaked through Rittich on the short side to put Columbus up 2-1.
Rittich - making his second straight start - made 21 saves in the loss, including some big stops of his own with the game on the line late in the third.
"It just squeezed through," Bowness said. "Again, when you throw the puck at the net, you never know. We had a lot of shot attempts that missed the net. We had a lot of shot attempts that were blocked and it shows you that when you throw it from anywhere at the net and you see what happens."
With the Metropolitan Division's second-ranked team, the Devils, next on the schedule, the Jets will have to quickly get rid of the frustrated feeling to be at their best at Prudential Center on Sunday.
"We're going to come at it with the mentality that, 'Oh, hey. This is going to be playoff hockey coming down,'" said Connor. "I'm sure there are teams fighting for that last spot and it's going to be tough. We're getting to that last home stretch."
