It may not be any comfort for Jets' fans after the team lost 5-2 in Vancouver surrendering a two-goal lead they had in the second period but the Jets aren't that bad. However, that is not the feeling amongst fans if social media was any barometer for contentment last night.
Ahh yes, the social media barometer, the wildly predictive (or not) medium of the vocal and dedicated minority. This AM after I tweeted out "So is the world still ending Jets fans?" the best response came from @jnnp2000 which is below:
@Teddier how dare we go 6-1 last 7 games while missing 3 of our top 5 players...as per Kramer. "Look away, I'm hideous"
— Le Chiffre (@jnnp2000) March 25, 2015That's the kind of perspective the Jets fandom needs and perhaps another one too.
In those last 6 games the Jets PDO (the stat that is a measurement of bounces/luck) is 103.6
In those last 6 games the Jets Scoring Chances % is an average of 46.58%
In those last 6 games the Jets Fenwick % is at 49.03%
If luck be a lady the Jets should be named Jenna, as they have won in spite of themselves. It why some astute fans were simply saying 'they aren't getting the bounces tonight' during the game against Vancouver.
Take it this way here are the same stats for the Kings:
PDO 99.2
Scoring Chances 51.28%
Fenwick 52.6%
The Kings are being the Kings when you look at some basic metrics and not really relying on to much luck. That's why it's good to be nervous, if not scared for Jets fans.
Here is where the next three opponents sit:
Montreal PDO 104.4 SC 44.05% Fen 46.4%
Chicago PDO 102 SC 46.75% Fen 48.08%
NY Rangers PDO 104.4 SC 50.26% Fen 49.6%
When looking at those next three opponents for the Jets one can see there's not a lot of difference in the noted metrics. Either they are all getting lucky or all playing better hockey at the right time, right, right???????
The Jets cannot control what the Kings do but they can control their own destiny but what about the opposition? They too seem to be benefactors of good luck and perhaps that will change like it did for the Jets last night. It would be nice for it to happen against the Jets but the likelihood of three teams being unlucky in consecutive games versus the Jets is highly improbable. The Jets will have to make their own luck and rely on the good play of Pavelec and the like.
Riding 50% on points for this short road game was a minimum need and they achieved it, but they need 4 of 6 on this three game home stand to keep in the pace. That would give the team 6 of 10 points and to make the magic number of 12 points over the final 10 games would mean going 3 for 5 to close out the season. Not getting a point in Vancouver was actually fairly significant.
Here's another thought... It's almost a given Hutch faces Chicago so how do you play it out down the stretch between the two? Pavelec gets MTL and NYR then a long break and it goes up to who played best last for final game against Vancouver? It seems the fair way to do things but this team needs wins any way, any how. Hopefully the return of Buff, Little and Chairot make enough of a difference to offset the brewing goalie issues as those three players could all be back against Chicago on Sunday.
It was never going to be easy for Winnipeg but did anyone imagine it would be this tight with no help coming down the stretch?