The Winnipeg Jets are looking to snap a three-game slide Friday night when they visit the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh.
Carolina handed them the first of those losses last Friday in a 4-3 decision in Winnipeg.
The Jets have dropped seven of their last 10 games and continue to feel the impact of losing reigning Hart and Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck, who’s out until at least the holidays after a minor knee procedure. Secondary scoring has become the team’s biggest issue.
Over their last six games, the Jets’ top line of Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, and Gabriel Vilardi combined for 21 points. In that same stretch, the rest of the forward group managed only nine.
“I don’t know what it is right now. Things aren’t clicking. Things aren’t going our way,” Jets forward Cole Perfetti told 680 CJOB. “In that bottom nine, someone has to step up. A line has to step up. Someone just needs one to go in off their behind or whatever it takes to get the floodgates going. … It’s crazy right now.”
Jets coach Scott Arniel isn’t putting the scoring problems solely on the forwards. Winnipeg generated little from the blue line in Wednesday’s 4-3 loss in Washington, the first game of a five-game road swing.
“Our (defense) has to find a way to get that puck to the netfront,” Arniel said. “I think we had only three shots on net from our (defense), and as a group we need to be better. We can’t go into games with one line running. We need to get hungrier and a little meaner about finding ways to score goals.”
Carolina, meanwhile, is also searching for more offense. Despite a 4-2 loss to the New York Rangers on Wednesday — their third defeat in four games — Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour remains encouraged as his team pushes for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division where they currently trail New Jersey by a single point.
“In this stretch, we had one poor game. That’s it. Unfortunately, we haven’t gotten what we probably deserved, points-wise,” Brind’Amour said. “That’s tough. You have to win games. You can have 10 good shifts, but that one you let up can cost you the game. We have to eliminate those.”
Carolina defenseman K’Andre Miller agreed, noting the Hurricanes must grind through their recent scoring dip, which has them averaging nearly a goal per game less than usual.
“It’s not going to be as easy as snapping your fingers every night,” Miller said after the loss to the Rangers. “We have to figure out ways to work for our chances and keep finding ways to put the puck in the back of the net.”
Both teams enter the game managing notable injuries.
For Carolina, Pyotr Kochetkov and Jordan Staal remain day-to-day, while Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Charles-Alexis Legault are on injured reserve. Winnipeg defenseman Neal Pionk is also day-to-day and could be a game-time decision Friday.
–Field Level Media
