Jets out of tune against Blues
Winless in three and finding goals tough to come by
Winnipeg Jets forward Cole Koepke can't beat Blues goaltender Joel Hofer on Tuesday in St. Louis. (JEFF ROBERSON / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS)
ST. LOUIS – The issue is no longer limited to secondary scoring for the Winnipeg Jets.
Although they continue to be far too reliant on the top line for production, the Jets have suddenly been limited to not enough goals in a more general sense.
The latest example was a 2-1 loss Tuesday to the St. Louis Blues at Enterprise Center.
The Jets battled hard in this Central Division duel, but they've scored 24 goals in nine games (2.67 goals per game) and have one victory during the past five games after a 3-0-1 start. One of those losses did come in overtime (1-3-1).
Fourteen of those goals have been scored by Cole Perfetti, who netted his sixth of the season on Tuesday and Kyle Connor, who has eight.
No matter how you slice it, the Jets need more offence sprinkled throughout the lineup without sacrificing at the other end of the ice.
"Well, that's a mindset," said Jets head coach Scott Arniel. "That's something you work on in practice. Every time you get a chance in practice to bear down and put the puck in the net, those are things you have to work on all the time.
"Greasy goals, the stuff around the net-front. Get yourself in those hard areas. It really is about just kind of staying with it and that mindset of getting to that net and us attacking the net. I thought there were times tonight where we had a great possession but we didn't attack inside. That's another element you always have to do if you're looking to score."
The Jets close out a two-game road trip on Thursday against the Dallas Stars.
Let's take a look at what else transpired on Tuesday
The equalizer
It won't be recorded as a power-play marker, but it may as well be.
Just after a minor penalty to Jimmy Snuggerud expired, Gabriel Vilardi found Perfetti alone in front of the net and the Jets winger scored through the five-hole to even the score, 32 seconds into the third period.
Perfetti didn't record his sixth goal until Feb. 2 in a game against the Dallas Stars last season as he made his way back from a high ankle sprain.
BLUES 2 JETS 1
Although the sample size remains small, Perfetti is on pace to smash his career high for goals (19) and points (50).
"You want to help the team in any way possible, and if that's on the score sheet, that's one way to do it," said Perfetti. "But there are other aspects of the game that I'm focusing on."
Those other aspects are apparent to Jets goalie Stuart Skinner.
"I don't think he gets enough credit (for) the two-way type of player that he is," said Skinner. "He plays the right way offensively and he plays the right way in the D-zone. And that's as a goaltender, obviously, I look at the D-zone as a very important piece.
"I mean, just the detail and the commitment to the game is very impressive."
Kicking motion dismissed
Skinner was certain that Snuggerud used a distinct kicking motion to score the first goal of the contest, making the motion in the direction of the officials, who discussed the play before allowing the goal to stand.
"Yeah, I'm pretty adamant it is (a kicking motion) because when the puck is coming to you and he flips his skate blade because he's tied up — that's really good defence on our part," said Skinner.
"So I don't know what else (Dylan) DeMelo is supposed to do. Is he supposed to take his legs out too? But if he does that, we're in the box (killing off a) 5-on-3. So I think it's too much of a grey zone, kind of like goalie interference."
Arniel considered using a coach's challenge, but decided against it.
"We looked at it. Based on what we've seen in this league and what is called a kicking motion, he just turned his foot," said Arniel.
"Which is kind of the rule of what you're allowed to (do). It's not the forward momentum booting the puck. I didn't think we'd have had much luck on that one."
The key play
A power-play blast from Philip Broberg on the power play at 8:47 of the third period proved to be the game-winner.
THE THREE STARS
Philip Broberg, Blues, one goal, two points
Joel Hofer, Blues, 32 saves
Stuart Skinner, Jets, 27 saves
Praise for Hofer
Blues head coach Jim Montgomery provided a thoughtful answer about the strong play of goalie Joel Hofer after the morning skate.
The Manitoban has clearly emerged as the Blues starter, supplanting Jordan Binnington, who helped the franchise earn its first Stanley Cup in 2019.
Hofer is up to six starts, compared to three for Binnington, and his numbers so far are superb with a goals-against average of 2.19 and a save percentage of .919.
"I wouldn't say quietly — because he's not quiet. He's confidently showing that he's emerging as a real good goaltender in this league," said Montgomery. "And when I say real good, I mean — I don't want to say a number of where he fits, but for me, he's Top 15."
That's high praise.
Aside from his athletic ability, Hofer is one of the best puckhandling goalies in the NHL, often acting as a third defenceman who can help disrupt the fiercest forechecking teams.
"I've always thought he's an amazing goaltender," said Skinner. "He knows how to move. He plays the puck very well. Obviously, he had (Binnington) to help him out with that too, as a young guy.
"He's got a wide butterfly. I mean, he's a big boy. So yeah, he plays a very good solid game."
Hofer, who was chosen by the Blues in the fourth round of the 2018 NHL Draft, has steadily improved since cracking the NHL roster for the first time during the 2021-22 season.
Skinner and Hofer were teammates with the Swift Current Broncos of the Western Hockey League, capturing a league championship together.
Extra, extra!
The Jets healthy scratches were Brayden Yager and defenceman Jack St. Ivany.
Yager took the pre-game warm-up and could make his season debut on Thursday.
For a team looking for secondary scoring, giving a shot to someone who had five goals and nine points in six AHL games this season makes sense.
The biggest question for Arniel revolves around where Yager fits best, whether that's getting a shot on the second line or starting on the fourth and working his way up from there.
Forward Walker Duehr cleared waivers and has been assigned to the Manitoba Moose, who are back in action on Wednesday against the Grand Rapids Griffins.
Among the interested observers on Tuesday was Nashville Predators general manager Chris MacFarland.