Make it 10 straight losses for Winnipeg after a 4-3 overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday night. The Jets blew a late 3rd period lead before Tomas Hertl ended the game on the power play with just 13 seconds left.

“I think we did a lot of things to try and eliminate their top players from being into it,” said Scott Arniel, Jets head coach, post-game.

The Jets had to play with five defencemen as Hadyn Fleury needed to be stretchered off after a crunching hit in the first period. He was fully alert and moving his extremities after the game.

“There was a lot of things we did correct. The hard part was when we had to go down to five [defensemen], those guys were getting winded. Vegas did a real good job of getting pucks into our corners and making our ‘D’ have to go back and get them. At the end of the day, (we’ve) got to continue,” said Arniel.

Yup, it’s bad

The Jets are 32nd in the NHL right — dead last.

Last season, the Jets had 22 regulation losses and four overtime losses. In half as many games this season, they have 21 regulation losses and five overtime losses.

This 10-game losing streak ties the longest skid in franchise history, dating back to the inaugural season of the Atlanta Thrashers of 1999-00, who also lost 10 in a row.

It’s three games worse than the longest losing streak since the Thrashers became the Jets, surpassing the seven-game skid of 2021.

Eight of these ten losses have been by one goal, including four in overtime. During their President’s Trophy season just a year ago, the Jets went 13-4 in overtime or shootout. That luck has not remained.

Right now, they’ve lost five straight in extra time.

As Dylan DeMelo said after the loss to Ottawa on January 3, “It just seems that everything is kind of going wrong at the same time right now.”

Star performers

In good news for Winnipeg faithful, Cole Perfetti got off the schnide. He snapped his 16-game goalless drought with a first period goal, his third of the season.

Fresh off of Kyle Connor earning a spot on Team USA, he’s put up four points in his last three games, for a team lead in 49 points.

The return of his Olympic teammate has not fared as well as the Jets hoped. Since Connor Hellebuyck returned from injury, four times out of ten starts, he’s supplied a plus .900 save percentage.

Josh Morrissey has walked with extra pep in his step since his Team Canada announcement as well. He has three assists in his last three games.

Oilers history

Calvin Pickard stonewalled the Jets on December 29th en route to a 3-1 Oilers victory, making 41 saves. The Jets doubled the Oilers in the shot clock 42-21, but couldn’t crack through offensively, with Max Jones, Jack Roslovic, and Zach Hyman lighting the lamp.

In High Danger Scoring Chances, the Jets had 18 in all situations to the Oilers nine. That represented a 4.5 expected goals to 2.65 expected goals.

Can the Jets translate these close games into a win?

This is the second game in a five-game homestand, hosting the Kings on Friday, the Devils on Sunday, and the Islanders on Tuesday.

Notes:

Fleury was placed on injury reserve and recalled forward Danny Zhilkin from the Manitoba Moose (AHL). Zhilkin has seven goals and 14 points in 30 AHL games this year.
Luke Schenn played his 1,100th NHL game on Tuesday, scoring in the contest as well. It was just his seventh goal since the start of the 2022-23 season. He’s received scorn from the fanbase for his play – does that mean he could find his tenth NHL team to play for?
Adam Lowry’s 12th career short-handed goal tied him with Marian Hossa for the most in Jets/Thrashers history against the Senators. Lowry had the lone goal against the Oilers last time they played.
Vibes reasons the Jets are losing? Mark Schiefele’s moustache? Connor Hellebuyck’s new mask design? Believe me, I remember when the Oilers were trash. Completely unrelated things become very relevant when you lose this often.
The Oilers are 2-0 this season against WPG. In the last 10 head-to-head matchups, the Oilers are 6-2-2.

Oilersnation wants to hear from you, the reader, in our new weekly “Letters to the Editor” segment. Letters can be emailed to Oilersnation’s managing editor Zach Laing (zach.laing@bettercollective.com), titled “Letters to the Editor.” Please include a letter up to 200 words, including your name, place of residence (city, town, province, or state). Your letters may be edited for length and/or clarity. Letters must be submitted by 6 PM MT Saturday night to be considered for feature on Sunday mornings.

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