Colroado Avalanche goalie Darcy Kuemper stops a shot by Winnipeg Jets forward Dylan DeMelo during first period of the Jets 4-1 win. (Photo: Jonathan Kozub/Getty Images)
Four was the theme of the night. The Winnipeg Jets beat the visiting Avalanche 4-1 in Winnipeg. It snapped a four-game losing streak for the home team and extended Colorado's losing streak to four games.
Despite the four shots that did slip past him, Avalanche goalie Darcy Kuemper still stopped 40 shots fired his way. The Avs lone goal was scored by forward J.T. Compher, his 17th of the year. Compher, though, had no problem being critical of himself and his teammates.
"I don't think that we had a whole lot of jump," Compher said. "I just don't think that the effort was there. You know, guys are trying, but overall we have much better as a group, and we know that's not good enough."
Because of the four straight defeats, the Avalanche, with its 116 points, is four points behind the Florida Panthers for best overall record in the NHL. And while there is an effort to get healthy and get rest before the Stanley Cup Playoffs, head coach Jared Bednar still expects more from his team.
"Our work is cut out for us here to get our guys back to playing our game, playing our identity," he said. "It starts with the work, the competitiveness, moves on to execution, details, the whole gamut, we've seen it all the last four games."
With three games to play in the regular season, the Avalanche will have to refocus, if it wants to make up the four points they trail Florida by. It starts with a return home from this forgettable three-game road trip, when they welcome the Blues to Ball Arena Tuesday night.
For more on the game, go here. Watch J.T. Compher & Jared Bednar's postgame press conferences below.
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