BSJ Game Report: Jets 5, Bruins 4 (SO) -- An eclectic-type loss

Against one of the best Western Conference teams, the Bruins once again showed resiliency but came up a bit short in a 5-4 shootout loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night at Bell MTS Place. Boston erased a two-goal deficit in the third period, and scored three power-play goals in the final 20 minutes of regulation, but couldn't close the deal this time.

Everything else you need to know from the Bruins' loss in quickie form, with BSJ insight and analysis. 

HEADLINES



First place must wait: Had the Bruins won this game, they would have been in first place in the Atlantic Division. Even though Boston earned a point and now has 105, it is still not enough to leapfrog the Tampa Bay Lightning with 106 points. The two teams meet on Thursday at TD Garden.

Power play: The Bruins' special-teams unit entered the fourth game of this road trip 1-for-7 on the power play, but the Bruins capitalized in a big way with three goals on the man-advantage in the third period. Having that much success against a quality opponent should serve as a major confidence boost for Boston as it prepares for the Stanley Cup playoffs.

A tough night for the officials: I may sound like a broken record, but I normally don't like to focus on the on-ice officials and criticize their job. However, I'm not sure how the Jets were awarded the first goal of the game at 5:33 of the first period. Tanev registered his first of three goals on the night, but it was a questionable call whether or not the puck ever crossed the goal line. During the review, the referee informed the situation room in Toronto that the shot completely crossed the line. The situation room determined there were no definitive replays to overturn the call on the ice and therefore it was a goal.

TURNING POINT

Loss of focus: The Bruins had just scored two power-play goals to tie the game at 3-3 at 3:36 of the third period and still had time remaining on the man-advantage. But, an unassisted shorthanded goal by the Jets' Brandon Tanev gave the Jets a 4-3 lead at 4:29. Boston's lack of communication and loss of focus allowed the shorty. Even though the Bruins' scored another power-play goal later in the period to tie it at 4-4, Boston's miscue on the Tanev's goal proved crucial.

THREE UP 

Ryan Donato: Once again, the rookie gave the Bruins a much-needed shot in the arm with his game-tying goal at 19:07 of the first period. He collected a turnover just inside the offensive blue line, used his edges perfectly when he broke in on Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck and beat him with a nifty top-shelf backhander.

Brandon Carlo: Too many times this season he's found himself in the "down" category. In the absence of Zdeno Chara and Charlie McAvoy, Carlo has picked up his game of late and is playing with a sense of urgency. He's also showing that he wants to remain in the lineup once everyone is healthy come playoff time. He finished with 23:20 of ice time against the Jets.

Blake Wheeler: The former Bruin collected his 600th career point when he assisted on Joe Morrow's goal to make it 3-1 Winnipeg at 6:25 of the second. It was Wheeler's 66th assist of the season and four more assists in his last six games to set a franchise record for most assists in a season. Wheeler and former Atlanta Thrasher Marc Savard (69 assists in 2006-07) are the only two players in franchise history to reach 60 assists in a season.

THREE DOWN

Josh Morrissey: No doubt the Jets defenseman should be suspended for his hit on Bruins' Matt Grzelcyk at the buzzer to end the second period. The Boston defenseman was clearly in a vulnerable position when Morrissey came off his skates and buried Grzelcyk's head into the boards. Morrissey was given a five-minute major for boarding.

Nick Holden: The newly acquired Bruins defenseman has been consistent since he arrived in Boston, but a miscue against the Jets allowed Tanev to score his go-ahead, shorthanded goal on an easy wraparound.

Officials: Again, I don't like to criticize the men in stripes but it was a gong show out there. When you see both coaches pulling a nutty on the bench, it's a sure sign the officials are screwing up on both sides.

NOT ON THE SCORE SHEET

Body position: David Krejci doesn't get enough credit for the little things he does on the ice. On Donato's goal, the puck was in the air when the Jets' Mark Scheifele was about to play it when Krejci made just enough body contact to disrupt the play, allowing Donato to collect the puck and score.