Winnipeg Jets goaltender Ondrej Pavelec (left) watches as Ottawa Senators' (left to right) Colin Greening, Chris Neil, Zack Smith, and Marc Methot celebrate a goal during the second period of their NHL hockey game in Winnipeg January 19, 2013. REUTERS/Fred Greenslade
WINNIPEG - It was disjointed, at times plodding and about as crisp as that cotton shirt lying at the bottom of the bedroom pile.
What did you expect after more than nine months?
Add another spinoff to the Winnipeg Jets missing the playoffs last season: the extra inactivity did nothing for their post-lockout return, Saturday.
The Ottawa Senators ruined yet another highly anticipated home opener in River City, taking advantage of a ragged and generous Jets team in a 4-1 win that did nothing to counter the dire pre-season predictions about the home side.
Playing their first NHL game since April 7, the Jets were the car you forgot to plug in overnight — the oil was sludgy, the starter dragged and not even a spark, provided by Dustin Byfuglien, got it going.
