The View from Winnipeg

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

Gary Lawless: Jets can’t escape from L.A

The Jets skated like world-beaters on Thursday in a win over the San Jose Sharks but Saturday night in Los Angeles they looked star-struck as the Kings crowned them 4-2 at Staples Center. The first period was among the worst the team has played all season — certainly under the stewardship of coach Paul Maurice.

Goalie Ondrej Pavelec, in his first game back after missing six straight with a lower body injury, was dreadful, allowing three suspect goals in the first period on 16 shots.

But don’t stop looking there, as the rest of the Jets were just as bad. They stood around and watched the Kings dance, giving L.A. great looks at the net, resulting in scoring chances that became goals.

WINNIPEG SUN

Kirk Penton: Kings chase Pavelec in mastery of Jets

There has been plenty of heat on Pavelec lately, and it’s only going to get hotter for the Czech netminder, who is less than two full seasons into a five-year, $19.5 million contract.

The loss, which left Winnipeg’s record at 1-2 on its five-game road trip, wasn’t only on Pavelec, who missed the last six contests due to a lower-body injury. The team in front of him didn’t show much urgency in the first period and didn’t manage a shot in the first 12 minutes of the second. It was just another ugly heap of inconsistency from a team that has lost 10 of its last 13 games.

Jonathan Quick was sharp on a couple of occasions, but he faced only 15 shots through 40 minutes and the Kings cruised to their sixth straight victory.

Kirk Penton: L.A. 5.1 earthquake leaves Jets unsettled

Several aftershocks continued to rattle the area on Saturday, including a 4.1 quake that hit in the middle of the afternoon. Friday night’s shaker was quite unsettling for defenceman Adam Pardy, who was in his sixth-floor hotel room on the west side of L.A.

“It scared the (bleep) out of me, man,” Pardy said after Saturday’s morning skate. “I’m not kidding you. I was just laying in my bed, and all of a sudden it started shaking and started swaying back and forth. I was like, oh my god, this is an earthquake!

“I’d never experienced anything like that before, so I was just freaking. I didn’t know what to do. I just kind of looked out the window and everything was going normal. I popped my head out the door and nobody was in the hallways.

SB Nation: ARCTIC ICE HOCKEY

Terrel H: Recap: Too Little, Too Late for Jets in Los Angeles

Perhaps the most disconcerting part of this loss was how easily the Kings dispatched the scrappy Jets. The Jets tried to stick with the Kings but they were simply too strong. When you consider that these teams both started their current rebuilds at the same time back in 2007-08. At that time the then Thrashers were 5 points better than the Kings. Both had empty cupboards, both needed to rebuild. Also in the bottom 4 that year was the St. Louis Blues and Tampa Bay Lightning. 3 of those teams are playoff bound this year and have had playoff appearances in the years since. Meanwhile the Jets continue to flounder in obscurity. At what point does real change need to be made?

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