Jets frustrated by another early playoff exit

WINNIPEG -- Josh Morrissey didn’t need many words to describe the feeling, the frustration of another early exit from the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

“Terrible,” the Winnipeg Jets defenseman said after a 6-3 loss to the Colorado Avalanche in Game 5 of the Western Conference First Round at Canada Life Centre on Tuesday.

“It’s disappointing."

Indeed, it was disappointing for the Jets, who lost the final four games of the series, getting outscored 22-8 in that span.

“We brought our best game of the series, but obviously, at this point, we were a desperate team," Morrissey said. "We just didn’t get to our game soon enough in the series. That’s the way I see it. I’m proud of the way the guys competed, but nothing to show for it.”

Although this is the second straight season the Jets were eliminated in five games in the first round, coach Rick Bowness, who last year said he was “disappointed and disgusted” by their performance against the Vegas Golden Knights, was much happier with the effort this time.

“It took too long, but listen, in the two years I’ve been here, that’s by far the best playoff game we’ve played,” he said. “It didn’t go our way tonight. Couple goals went in off of us. We had some chances that we didn’t score (on). Where was that in the first four games? That’s a question we’re going to have to answer ourselves over the course of the summer, but we’re way ahead of where we were at this point last year when we lost. Way ahead."

The Jets did perform in Game 5 closer to how they needed to for the entire series. It was better, but still not their best. It wasn’t enough, and it came too late.

In the final analysis, the Jets entered the playoffs as the stingiest defensive team, having allowed 2.41 goals per game during the regular season, which was tied with the Florida Panthers for first in the NHL. They are exiting as the team that has allowed the most goals per game (5.60) this postseason.

Would the series be heading back to Denver if the Jets could have gotten to their identity quicker?

“I don’t have a crystal ball. I think it would’ve given us a better chance to push the series longer,” Jets captain Adam Lowry said. “They’re an elite team over there. They have high-end talent, and I think when we look back at the series, special teams, especially our penalty kill, that really hurt us in a couple of big moments and in a couple of games. Just our inability to get to our 5-on-5 game until tonight. Those will be the two keys that you take away. Credit to the [Avalanche]. They played a [heck] of a series and they’ve got a great team. They’re going to be a tough out.”

The Jets know that firsthand.

On Tuesday, there were at least two times when the Jets were able to turn the momentum their way only to have the Avalanche quickly take it back. It started with Kyle Connor, who was credited with the goal that gave Winnipeg a 1-0 lead at 1:15 of the first period after Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson’s clearing attempt hit teammate Artturi Lehkonen and deflected into Colorado's net. Just 2:03 later, though, Valeri Nichushkin scored on a one-timer to tie it 1-1.

When Jets forward Tyler Toffoli tied the game 3-3 at 2:06 of the third period, the arena was buzzing again. That lasted for all of 2:05, until Mikko Rantanen scored his first goal of the playoffs by redirecting a shot from defenseman Devon Toews to put the Avalanche back in front 4-3.

In the end, the fight was there for the Jets, but the Avalanche, who aren’t that far removed from their Stanley Cup championship in 2022, were ultimately too much for them.

“When I watch that series, they were faster and most of the games they were aggressive. That was clearly their game plan," Morrissey said. "Like I said, I think we just never brought our best game until really today, when we played the best game we had in the series. I still don’t think it’s our best game.

"There’s going to be a time of reflection as there always is, which [stinks], but we need to figure out a way to all get better this offseason because we just saw what it looks like to play against a team that knows how to win.”