Winnipeg Jets lose 4-1 in Boston for worst defeat since early November

The Winnipeg Jets aren’t used to losing, especially by multiple goals.

Let alone three.

The Jets dropped a 4-1 decision in Boston Monday night, the first time since a 5-2 loss to Vegas Nov. 2 that Winnipeg has lost by three goals and allowed more than three goals in a game.

It didn’t take long for the home team to strike, jumping in front just 2:20 into the first period.

The Jets were caught chasing in their own end, and eventually a bouncing puck was corralled by Trent Frederic. He sent a pass back-door to Jakub Lauko, who tapped it home for his second of the year.

But Winnipeg responded quickly, drawing even less than two minutes later. After a Bruins turnover in their own end, Cole Perfetti sent the puck back to the point where Dylan DeMelo blasted a shot that beat Jeremy Swayman. He was initially given credit but it was later changed to Vladislav Namestnikov, who got a piece of the shot on the way.

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It stayed 1-1 through most of a fairly uneventful first period but Boston took the lead with 1:34 to go before intermission. Charlie Coyle deflected a Hampus Lindholm point shot past Connor Hellebuyck to give the home side a lead through 20 minutes.

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Winnipeg outshot the Bruins 6-5 in the first and started the second on a power play but were unable to generate any shots, nor were they able to do much offensively through the whole middle frame as they played without Mark Scheifele and Gabriel Vilardi.

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Boston carried the bulk of play through the second period, outshooting the Jets 10-4 thanks in part to a pair of power plays and multiple long shifts in the Winnipeg end but the score remained 2-1 after 40 minutes.

Winnipeg sprung to life in the third as they pushed to find the equalizer, outshooting the Bruins 8-2 at one point in the period but they were unable to beat Swayman.

Boston had a chance to put the game away on a power play with just over seven minutes left but couldn’t score, and before the power play expired Lindholm was called for interference, but just after the Jets penalty expired, the Bruins extended their lead.

Boston carried the puck up the ice while it was still four-on-four, with Jake DeBrusk finding Morgan Geekie for a net-drive. As he went to the net, all four Jets players collapsed towards the net while Nino Niederreiter, stepping out of the box, had yet to get back into the Winnipeg end.

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The puck was poke-checked off the stick of Geekie by Hellebuyck but it went right to DeBrusk, who buried the shorthanded tally to make it 3-1 with 5:25 remaining.

Winnipeg did nothing with the ensuing power play and Brad Marchand scored into an empty net to make it 4-1 and end the Jets impressive run of consecutive games allowing three goals or less at 34.

Both sides finished the game with 21 shots on goal as Hellebuyck stopped just 17 shots in defeat. It’s the first time he’s allowed three goals in a game since a 3-2 overtime loss to Montreal Dec. 18 and the first time he’s let in three goals in regulation since a 6-3 win over New Jersey Nov. 14.

It’s also just the third regulation loss for Winnipeg since the start of December, though it’s their second in their last four games.

The Jets wrap up this three-game road trip in Toronto Wednesday night.