The Winnipeg Jets and host Montreal Canadiens are both coming off defensive letdowns as they head into Wednesday’s game against each other.
After snapping a four-game skid with a 5-2 victory on Saturday in Nashville, the Jets took a step back Monday in a 5-1 loss to Buffalo. The host Sabres scored two goals in 15 seconds during the first 3:01 of the game.
Jets coach Scott Arniel told reporters the players met on their own after the disappointing loss.
“You’re hoping that the response into our next game is a lot better than what it was tonight,” Arniel said Monday night. “We’re a veteran group (and) recognize we just embarrassed ourselves. We’re going to have to be a heck of a lot better next time.”
Kyle Connor scored the Jets’ lone goal in the loss to Buffalo. He has scored in back-to-back contests and is tied with linemate Mark Scheifele for the team lead in goals with 13.
Scheifele leads the team in points, with his 32 being two more than Connor. He assisted on Connor’s goal Monday, giving him at least a point in eight of his last nine games.
Eric Comrie has been in net for the Jets in six of the team’s last seven games while taking over the No. 1 goalie position. Connor Hellebuyck is recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery that’s expected to keep the three-time Vezina Award winner off the ice at least until the end of this month.
Comrie is 2-4-0 in those starts and was pulled after giving up three goals to Buffalo in the first period. However, Arniel said he expected the 30-year-old netminder to be back in the lineup against Montreal.
Comrie is 0-2-1 in three career games against the Canadiens with a 2.98 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage.
The game in Montreal wraps up a five-game road trip for the Jets.
Playing away from Winnipeg has been a problem for the Jets over the last month. After winning their first four games on the road in October, the Jets are just 3-7-0 since Nov. 4.
Montreal is looking to rebound after dropping a 7-2 decision in Colorado on Saturday and a 5-2 setback at home to Ottawa on Tuesday.
Cole Caufield, who assisted on both goals in Tuesday’s loss, called it “unacceptable” the way the team played defense in its end.
Getting back on the ice 24 hours later should help as the Canadiens look for a fix.
“The league goes on,” Caufield said. “League doesn’t care, and Winnipeg is a good, mature team. We got to be very detailed, way better than tonight.”
Caufield’s 28 points (14 goals, 14 assists) rank second on the team, two behind captain Nick Suzuki. Suzuki collected a goal and an assist on Tuesday to extend his point streak to six games.
Sam Montembeault allowed all five goals on 29 shots. The netminder has yet to play both ends of a back-to-back this season, meaning Jakub Dobes may get the start on Wednesday.
Dobes, who gave up seven goals on 36 shots on Saturday, has yet to face the Jets in his career.
Montembeault is 1-4-1 in six games against Winnipeg with a 3.47 GAA and an .881 save percentage.
–Field Level Media
