Generally, losing all games in a season series against a team from another division isn`t significant.
This explains Winnipeg Jets coach Scott Arniel`s surprise when a reporter questioned if Tuesday`s 4-1 defeat to the Los Angeles Kings was a crucial test.
He dismissed the idea that his team needed to prove anything against the Kings.
“Wait, wait, wait,” Arniel responded to the reporter who pointed out Winnipeg`s 0-3 record against Los Angeles this season. “We are currently in the top position. So, I`m not sure about any measuring stick. We don`t evaluate things that way. We focus on our style of hockey and how we compete against every opponent.”
There`s merit to considering how Winnipeg performs against teams with a similar style to Los Angeles.
“They are very tight defensively, not allowing much,” Arniel told reporters. “They are the kind of team that capitalizes on your mistakes. They are very good. They controlled the central ice area. They play much like us, limiting access to the middle of the ice.”
The Jets spent most of the game in the Kings` zone, holding 57.8 percent of the expected goals share at five-on-five.
“When we have that much puck possession, we need to attack the net more,” Arniel admitted.
The Kings, St. Louis Blues, and Vegas Golden Knights—all potential playoff opponents for the Jets—have consistently outperformed Winnipeg in net-front battles. In eight games against these teams, Winnipeg has created 26 high-danger shots during five-on-five play while allowing 54. Other underlying statistics support this trend.
Jets` five-on-five stats vs. St. Louis, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas:
| xGF% | SCF% | HDCF% | HDSF% |
|---|---|---|---|
| 38.4 | 40.6 | 35.6 | 32.5 |
Arniel has emphasized the importance of creating disruption in front of the net to capitalize on second and third chances. The Jets excel at maintaining offensive zone pressure, particularly in cycle play, but they need to improve at getting to the front of the goal. Recall how impactful it was for Colorado to screen Connor Hellebuyck last spring.
To be fair, these teams are excellent at defending the slot. However, playoff games typically see even more goals scored near the crease, and getting to the high-danger areas becomes even more challenging in the playoffs.
Thursday`s game against Vegas—a team that has defeated the Jets in both of their matchups this season—will be another significant test.
Stoller`s Take
• A risky move by Jets defenseman Logan Stanley led to a goal against, with Andrei Kuzmenko stealing the puck in the neutral zone and scoring to put L.A. ahead 3-1 late in the second period. It’s clear the towering defenseman shouldn`t be attempting to deke opponents. While Stanley has recently played well, I still believe Haydn Fleury will be chosen for Game 1 of the playoffs. Fleury is not significantly better than Stanley, but he makes fewer errors and is more agile, which is essential for a partner playing with Luke Schenn on the Jets` third defensive pairing.
• Winnipeg failed to register a single shot attempt on the power play during their two power play opportunities. Their power play has been ineffective since the 4 Nations Face-Off break, converting only 16.3 percent of chances (26th in the league).
“Both power play units need to perform better,” Jets forward Cole Perfetti stated after the game. “It’s not just on the first unit; the second unit also had a minute on each power play and we didn’t execute. They are obviously a strong penalty kill team and apply a lot of pressure, which we anticipated. Again, it came down to execution. I don’t think it was due to lack of effort or intent; we had the right mindset. We just didn’t execute the plays against their pressure and didn’t move the puck quickly enough.”
• Arniel mentioned that Schenn is day-to-day. The 35-year-old left the morning skate early, which the coach attributed to him feeling “stiff.”