Rick Bowness typically ends his days with hockey thoughts swirling in his mind, and while Tuesday night’s ruminations weren’t entirely positive for the Winnipeg Jets head coach, there were silver linings.
Despite a 5-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche in Game 2, evening their first-round playoff series at 1-1, Bowness noted improvements in his team’s performance compared to their previous wild 7-6 win on Sunday. “We were better last night,” he told reporters at the airport on Wednesday.
“We spent a little more time in their zone and a minute less in our zone, so there are improvements there. But it’s something that we have to continue to address and continue to improve.” When asked about the outlook for the series, Bowness leaned towards optimism: “Half full, because we feel good about ourselves and we feel we can go in there and win a game.”
The Colorado Avalanche boasted an impressive home record during the regular season, but the Jets managed to notch two victories at Ball Arena, where they were 31-9-1.
Despite the common belief that regular-season records are often irrelevant in playoff matchups, Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey pointed out that their success in Denver could provide a confidence boost. Looking ahead, goaltending is expected to play a pivotal role. Bowness emphasized the importance of getting more shots on net and crashing the net harder.
Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck, who excelled in Game 1, faced a stronger performance from Avalanche counterpart Alexandar Georgiev in Game 2, though Hellebuyck was caught behind the net leading to a crucial Colorado goal late in the second period.
Morrissey stressed that the Jets can still elevate their game further, emphasizing the need for aggressiveness and not giving the Avalanche too much respect. Bowness made history in Game 1 as the oldest head coach to win a playoff game, though he downplayed the significance of the milestone.
The Jets have historically struggled in Game 2 playoff matches, with a record of 3-8, and their all-time mark in Game 3s is 3-7. The series has already seen a flurry of goals, with the Avalanche and Jets combining for 20 goals in the first two games, a feat not seen since the 2022 playoffs.
