After a 5-1 setback to the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday, the Winnipeg Jets’ losing streak hit a season-high four games.
And while frustration is evident among the players, it seems nobody is more peeved at the skid than head coach Scott Arniel.
“We had a lot of guys forget to show up at the start of the game,” Arniel told Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press. “I guess I gotta do a little more screaming, longer or harder.”
Friday’s game was tied at 1-1 until the third period, when the Hurricanes exploded for four goals in the final frame. Coupled with a meagre 13 shots thrown on Hurricanes backup Brandon Bussi all night, the Jets looked nothing like the Presidents’ Trophy-winning squad of last season.
When McIntyre asked about Arniel putting rookie Elias Salomonsson alongside Josh Morrissey on the top pairing over Dylan DeMelo, the coach appeared to call out his No. 2 d-man.
“That had to do with certain people (who) weren’t ready to play.”
The loss brings the Jets down to 12-11-0, good for sixth in the Central Division and three points out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot.
The Jets return to the ice on Saturday to face the Nashville Predators on Hockey Night in Canada (Sportsnet and Sportsnet+, 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT).
