Patrik Laine just couldn’t get into the proper groove in the Western Conference Final.
After finishing second behind Alex Ovechkin with 44 regular season goals, the Finnish superstar managed to register just one goal in five games against the Vegas Golden Knights. Fans have speculated Laine may have been playing through an injury, but the forward insisted he was healthy from start to finish. He was quick to criticize his play and take responsibility for not scoring more after the loss.
Hardly any players on the Jets were able to get anything going throughout the series. Following the team’s 4-2 win in Game 1 win, Winnipeg managed to score just six goals in the following four contests. Laine and his line-mates Paul Stastny and Nikolaj Ehlers combined for just four points in the series.
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Despite the outcome, Jets players have plenty of reasons to keep their heads up. The team made its deepest run in franchise history and came just three wins away from the Stanley Cup Final. The core led by Laine and other young rookies should stay intact and be a contender again in a year’s time.
(H/T Winnipeg Jets)
