Winnipeg Jets head coach Rick Bowness has criticized his team members for their “lack of consistency” as the club continues to slide away from a playoff spot.
The Jets suffered a 3-0 loss to the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday, allowing the Calgary Flames to move within two points of the team for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
“The offense gave us a chance to win the game, but we failed to score,” Bowness said after the loss. “The lack of consistency of some of our players is hurting us.
“Some of them think they’re giving us everything they have in their tank. They dream. We have a lot of guys giving us everything they can. We just need a few more guys coming on board. ”
The Jets outshot the Sharks 40-31 on Tuesday, but suffered a third shutout loss in their last seven games.
Winnipeg is 6-7-1 since the March 3 trade deadline and also faces pressure from the Nashville Predators, who are three points behind with two games in hand.
“It’s a tough loss, for sure,” forward Mark Scheifele admitted Tuesday. “We’re in the heat of the moment and that’s where things are shaping up. ”
The Jets missed the playoffs last season for the first time in five years, as Dave Lowry replaced head coach Paul Maurice mid-season. Bowness was hired as the new boss behind the bench this offseason, after leaving the Dallas Stars.
“We must be a desperate team,” Bowness preached. We just have to fight and fight together as a group and keep fighting. We have to fight with each other and give our all. That’s all we can do. ”
The Jets still have seven games to play before the end of their regular schedule, including one at home against the Flames and Predators next week.
