Didn't post last night because I didn't want my emotions ruling my post.
Bottom line was the Jets just didn't have the juice. Not sure if they had their Xmas party on Sunday but they really weren't moving their feet. They'd get the puck and just invite a check, their puck movement decisions were slowwwww and passes off the mark.
Pionk had about 4 unpressured icings, Morisseys passing was uncharacteristically poor, and Demelo continues to play under his level. Schmidt just can't seem to string together 2 good games, and the rest of the D was average.
I won't even comment on the officiating - the fact is the Jets lost that game, even know that non call on the faceoff interference on Ehlers was criminal.
I do think the PP is trying to be more creative, I see them trying new things but until the players start disrupting the pk with movement its going to be anemic. At the very least if they're going to stay stationary they need to stay shooting the puck more and look for tips and rebounds.
At the end of the day we came back with 2 goals and got a point, so I choose to be happy with that.
Let's see a bounce back against the red wings
You're right about the D-men and even when Pionk is playing well, he has a tendency to ice the puck. He would call them missed passes but he does panic a bit in those situations. All that being said, it was another game where they only gave up two goals. (I refuse to count that OT goal.) Overall, the D, aided by Helly's solid play, is doing surprisingly OK.
As for the officiating, and I've mentioned this in the GDT, I'm concerned about how the relatively recent appearance and saturation by the legal "gaming" industry (ads and shilling by the sports network talking heads) and the impact it might have on things like, say, officiating.
On the challenged goal, wasn't that a "close the hand on the puck" moment by Anderson. He didn't swat it. It looked to me like he grabbed it and threw it ahead. In the review, can the officials look at that aspect of the play too and not just whether his stick contacted the puck?
Thank goodness, we don't have to put up with those insufferable Habs fans again this year. Although I was a Red Wings fan growing up (St. Andrews/Lockport area with a Skinners connection), I anticipate a heck of a lot fewer Wings fans in the stands on Wednesday.
Go Jets Go!