Don't let reality scare you. Certainly not the simple reality that the Winnipeg Jets are a very inconsistent hockey team, even within one game. You tell me where the team that was up 3-1 after one period went in the second and third periods?

Where was the goalie that stoned Chicago for the final five minutes of the game on Sunday over two of those minutes being a 6 on 4 situation?

What is the problem that happens in the intermission between the first and second period?

Is it time for another question and answer guy session?

Teams in the NHL for the most part are streaky except for the top few and bottom few. Those seems to play consistently good or poor hockey for the duration of the season. The Jets are neither, and they display that game in and out.

At the end of the first period the Jets had out shot the Wings by 16-7, by the end of the second 28-16, by the end of the third it was 31-26. The third period was so bad that the Jets did not get their first shot on net until nearly 12 minutes in by my tracking.

This was a game that should have been won and with a 3-1 lead after 20 minutes there really is no excuse. While there was plenty of criticism to go around during post-game analysis there was nothing that could be said that adequately described the play of Connor Hellebuyck.

He was struggling worse than Donald Trump with Twitter restraint. He juggled the puck, give up rebounds, did not position himself well and simply seemed out of sync to the play going on in front of him. Many times he lost track of the puck as it lay in the crease or beside it while a scrum was going on. Frankly the Wings could have won this game, maybe they should have.

To the contrast, after the first period Mrazek was stable and solid including OT and the shootout.

There were positives for the Jets, a great goal by Copp, Byfuglien scoring on a very patient read, wait and shoot set up and of course almost everything Laine does. But like many times before the good was overcome by the bad. Careless reads, (looking at you Chiarot), poor changes and other simple errors that seem to never become exorcised from this team.

It's not that the players aren't trying it's that it appearsthat they are not being held to account for the dumb plays. Miss a shift or three, do something that sends a message. This is what fans are saying but no one really knows if the coach sees the same thing.

As for the next step...get ready as the run and gun Rangers come to town. That won't be easy and if the Jets continue to make some of the simple but increasingly costly mistakes against this offence then expect to see 'goals for everyone'.

I'd offer to take suggestion about how to fix this mysterious team and it's problems but I don't think anyone could pin it all down with any consensus, including the coach, and that should be the troubling part for everyone.

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