Jets remain grounded by Golden Knights' quick-strike offence
Tim Wharnsby | CBC Sports | Posted: May 19, 2018 4:00 AM | Last Updated: May 19, 2018
Vegas continues to answer each of Winnipeg's goals
The Winnipeg Jets had life in this one, a lot of life.
Tyler Myers blasted a shot through the pads of Vegas Golden Knights MVP Marc-Andre Fleury to tie Game 4 early in the third period.
Since the Myers goal, it seemed like it was just a matter of time before the Jets would score the go-ahead goal to tie up the West final.
A little more than seven minutes later, however, Jets forward Brandon Tanev employed his world-class speed to carry the puck deep into the Vegas end.
He circled behind the Golden Knights goal and slid a pass back to Dustin Byfuglien at the blue line. Byfuglien whiffed on his one-time attempt.
Vegas playmaker Reilly Smith jumped on the mistake.
He lassoed the loose puck and had a partial breakaway. But instead of cruising in on the Jets goal, Smith seemed to surprise Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck with a pinpoint snapshot that fluttered from 30-feet out over the netminder's right shoulder with 6:58 remaining.
The Jets needed a big save at this time. But Hellebuyck was caught too close to his crease instead of being out to challenge Smith. Another game-winner for the upstart and opportunistic expansion Golden Knights.
Their 3-2 victory at home has put this remarkable team, this remarkable story, a win away from advancing to the Stanley Cup final.
Quick-strike answer
"You don't want to take away from their team, they cash in on their opportunities, but we win that game, nine times out of 10," Jets captain Blake Wheeler said.
The difficult part about the way this series has transpired for the Jets is that the Golden Knights always seem to have a quick-strike answer whenever the Jets score a key goal.
Okay, sure, seven-and-a-half minutes of action elapsed between the Myers game-tying goal and Smith's game-winner. But consider what the Golden Knights have done in their three-game win streak to take over this conference final:
- In Game 2 on Monday, Winnipeg's Kyle Connor scored to push the Jets within 2-1 only to see Golden Knights sniper Jonathan Marchessault restore the two-goal lead 88 seconds later.
- In Game 3 on Wednesday, young star Mark Scheifele drew the Jets even early in the second period. But a dozen seconds later Vegas veteran James Neal put his team ahead for good in the 4-2 outcome.
- On this fateful Friday, Patrik Laine scored on the power play to tie the game midway through the second period. But, for the third game in a row, Vegas forward Tomas Nosek, the same player who took a tripping penalty in the offensive zone that led to the Laine goal, scored 43 seconds later.
It's not like this quick-strike phenomenon has been lost on Jets head coach Paul Maurice. He had his checking line of Adam Lowry, Andrew Copp and Tanev out there as well as his shutdown defence pairing of Josh Morrissey and Jacob Trouba. But Trouba was in a fog and was caught watching instead of picking up Nosek.
'I don't like the goals'
"I don't like the goals," Maurice said. "We lost a draw [in Game 3]. Maybe it wasn't some coverage around our net [on Friday]."
While this development is disturbing to the Jets coach, Maurice was irate about a first-period retaliatory penalty from Scheifele after a missed cross-check from Vegas defenceman Brayden McNabb on Scheifele.
The ensuing Golden Knights power play resulted in a William Karlsson goal.
"Heavy, heavy profanity," Maurice said. "Offensive. Would probably cost you your job."
Maurice isn't going to lose his job for losing the West final. But if the Jets are going to beat Fleury for three wins in a row, he'll need the best coaching of his career to pull out this series.