This was not the return Matt Duchene had in mind.

In what Ryan O'Reilly called a "must win" game, the Colorado Avalanche forgot to play defense for a period of hockey.

A three goal second period period for the Jets powered them to a 5-1 victory over the Avs.

After a first period that saw 43 hits leveled, the Avs played panicky defense that led to the Jets skating easily into the zone and getting great chances. The Avs didn't get bigger on defense to play like tabby cats but that was what they got.

Most of the game the Avs were flat in the offensive zone. They weren't moving the puck around and without the puck they stood in the zone. No one drove for the net or pulled defenders away or got in the way of Ondrej Pavelec.

Combine the flat offense with the tabby cat defense and you have the 5-1 final that was the game.

Watching the Avs is confusing. They played the Vancouver Canucks, second in the conference to the end of the third period. They play a Winnipeg team struggling to get into the playoffs and they lay flat.

Maybe it is a young team, maybe it is the lack of consistent goaltending but whatever the source, Avs have got to figure it out.

Three Stars

1. Blake Wheeler- four assists
2. Ondrej Pavelec- 31 saves
3. Gabriel Landeskog- goal, nine shots, was the best player

Facepalm of the Game
Ryan O'Byrne, Ryan Wilson and Jan Hejda. Like usual, they were a travesty to watch

Bang bang play of the Game

No more games against Winnipeg the rest of the year. Best news for the Avs.