Goat Horns Again-
It's not the way the Jets wanted the game to end, nor is it the result they wanted. But at least they did not have a third period like the Canucks, their next opponent on Wednesday in Winnipeg. It's small consolation for a team struggling to get points and having gone 0-2-2 since the Olympic break ended.
The fall was another example of defense doing too little or not enough depending on your point of view. Much like Mark Stuart's epic shift that led to turning over the puck, to catching the skater, and finally taking his own goalie to the boards, Byfuglien and Enstrom paired up for a doozy in OT.
In fairness to Stuart I've been hard on him, at least in terms of quantifiable on-ice play, since he signed his lucrative contract extension. That same scrutiny should go towards Buff and Enstrom for the end last night, but more so the latter.
As a forward Byfuglien looked almost like he did 4 years ago with the Blackhawks, a dominant forward creating havoc in front of the net and the opposition netminder. As I tweeted last night 'greasy areas=goals' and Buff got two by going to the grease. It's small solace after a squandered chance to earn that important extra point.
When Matt Duchene started the play in OT, Buff had just returned to the ice after an extended shift, one where coach Paul Maurice must have been thinking hat trick for the player showing a lot of 'jam' in his game. Duchene got the puck back on his stick and went into the right corner in the Jets end, did a sharp turn, then left a clearly tired and less nimble Byfuglien behind waving his stick. That wave, and last ditch effor,t was enough to have the puck go across the crease where Enstrom was stationed.
What happened next is confusing, as Enstrom one-handed the puck back towards the end boards, across the crease, and right onto a charging Duchene's stick. The puck chipped up and over Montoya into the net to end the game. Enstrom did not have to play the puck that way though, he was not checked nor was he under pressure- he may have been unbalanced.
Something had to influence his decision to make such a feeble effort on the puck, one right in front of his keeper. In hindsight he was probably trying to chip it back to the boards where Buff would pick it up and take it up the far side as Duchene had already committed to the front of the net. It was lazy, risky and similar to other plays he had made throughout the game where he tried to do things with the puck that were overly complex for the situation. He got burned and so did the team.
Buff took the loss hard, two-handing his stick across the post to watch it explode over the ice, shards going everywhere. Angry Buff.
More importantly, the play and decision-making by Enstrom illustrate a problem touched on in the last words in this space- in tight games the Jets fade. At least this time it was a poor decision and play not an effort/execution issue.
The Jets came out flying (sorry for that) and continued their third period play from Saturday as Buff scored a natural hat trick, at least for the Jets and across two games. He was the same leader last night as he was in the third on Saturday. On the whole the team followed and brought their speed, pace and execution to a better level all the while making things harder on themselves with 6 penalties.
Funny how more penalties seem to be taken when they are apparently 'working their tails off'. While some calls were ones that should anger fans, not because of the refs, rather the infractions called, they should a willingness to compete. That willingness has been lacking in recent games at times. When faced with hard opposition the Jets could not rise above it.
There's the rub for fans, yes they were in it right until the bitter end but they could not pull it out in another tight game down the stretch. If it sounds and feels familiar, it is and this late season nose dive goes back pre-Winnipeg with this club. Once again it has some looking at what legacy is the same from Atlanta to Winnipeg.
It doesn't get an easier for the Jets unless you really believe the Canucks are in full free-fall mode after their third period game of '7-up' last night. Perhaps a win there is possible, but with the Rangers and Stars coming on Friday and Sunday the task gets harder. It comes down to the details again: some little things have to get figured out real fast or this group has an ascent to the post season it can't possibly make.