Jets look to defy odds against Golden Knights
The Jets know the odds are against them as they leave Las Vegas and head to Winnipeg for Game 5 against the Golden Knights trailing 3-1 in the best-of-seven Western Conference Final.
That’s why they’re trying not to talk about the need to win three straight games to keep their season alive.
“In the back of your mind, you’re going to have the big picture there, winning three in a row,” defenseman Ben Chiarot said Saturday. “Once game day comes, you’re just focused on that day, what you do to prepare for the game. Once the puck drops, that’s all you’re focused on is your next shift.
“It’s cliche, but that’s how you have to take it. If you look at it big picture, we got to win three in a row, it seems like a big job. When you break it down into segments, it becomes easier. Win your next shift, next period, just keep going.”
History says it’s a daunting but not impossible task.
Entering this season, 292 teams had fallen behind 3-1 in a Stanley Cup playoffs series. Only 28 times had a team rallied to win a series.
Six more teams have faced that deficit this season, and none has come back to win. Toronto was the only team to even force a Game 7, which it lost at Boston.
That process will begin for the Jets at noon Sunday when the puck drops on Game 5 and Winnipeg tries to snap a three-game losing streak.
“The idea of winning three in the playoffs in a row in any series is a daunting task,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said. “The idea of one is perfectly understandable.”
Winnipeg doesn’t have much playoff experience to draw on. The Jets were swept in the only postseason series for the franchise before this season since it relocated from Atlanta in 2011.
They did get through a pressure-packed situation in the Western Conference semifinals, winning Game 7 in Nashville.
Maurice hopes that experience can help prepare Winnipeg for the task at hand.
“I want them to take their experience from Game 6 and 7 and create the environment they created there where they came out with an excitement and smile on their face,” he said. “Going into Game 7, there’s as much pressure in that game as there is here, right? It’s the exact same game. This one is at home.”
The players don’t want to think much about it.
Forward Adam Lowry planned to spend Saturday night playing video games. Center Andrew Copp said he would check in on the Eastern Conference Final game between the Capitals and Lightning.
When their minds do wander to Sunday’s game, their thoughts probably will be on their lack of scoring. Winnipeg has generated plenty of chances and outshot Vegas in every game.
The Jets just can’t seem to find the net.
“It’s a little frustrating,” Lowry said. “You look at the chances we’ve had, someone gets a skate blade on it, we hit the post, hit the tip when you seem like you have the whole net. At the same time, you have to look that we are getting those chances, we are creating a lot of positive things.
“I don’t think it feels like it’s a 3-1 series. We believe we’re right there. We have a lot of belief we can come back.”
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Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-277-8028. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.