The Columbus Blue Jackets are hoping to finish their five-game road trip on a positive note when they face the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday, but it will be a tough challenge.
The Jets made history by becoming the first NHL team to reach 20 wins this season, with a 4-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday. Goals from Gabriel Vilardi, Nino Niederreiter, Mark Scheifele, and Mason Appleton, who also assisted on Niederreiter’s goal, secured the win. Kyle Connor contributed two assists, bringing his season total to a team-high 32 points.
Winnipeg, tied with the Washington Capitals and Minnesota Wild for the most points in the league with 40, has won two games in a row. They ended a four-game losing streak (0-3-1) with a 3-2 overtime win against Buffalo on Thursday. In both games against Buffalo and Chicago, the Jets came from behind after being down 2-1 in the first period.
Scheifele, who scored the game-winning goal in the third period on Saturday, said the team’s hard work and good positioning made them successful. “We all can get a loose puck, we all can make a pass, and we all can shoot,” he said. “So, when our spacing is correct, we’re a tough team to play against.”
This weekend marks the Jets’ first set of back-to-back games this season. Connor Hellebuyck, last season’s Vezina Trophy winner as the top goaltender, started in goal on Saturday and made just 12 saves—six after the first period—to earn his 17th win of the season, leading the league.
After winning the first game of their road trip last Sunday 6-3 against Chicago, the Blue Jackets have lost the last three games, each by three goals.
In their most recent game on Friday at Vancouver, the Blue Jackets took a 2-0 lead in the first period, but the Canucks tied it up in the second and pulled away for a 5-2 win. The tying goal came after a mistake by Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins, who mishandled the puck in the defensive zone, allowing Vancouver’s Teddy Blueger to pass it to Kiefer Sherwood, who scored into the empty net.
Columbus coach Dean Evason was frustrated after the game, saying the first period was the best the team has played all season. “You have a start like that, and you have the momentum going our way; you have to almost play a boring hockey game at that point and not allow anything to happen,” Evason said. “We didn’t, and obviously, (the Canucks) gained momentum.”
The Blue Jackets also allowed another power-play goal in Friday’s loss, marking 12 straight games in which they have given up at least one. During this stretch, Columbus has allowed 17 goals on 44 power-play opportunities. On the other hand, the Blue Jackets’ own power play has struggled, scoring only 4 goals on 30 chances in the same period.
This could be a problem for Columbus, as Winnipeg has the third-best power play in the league, converting 29.3 percent of their opportunities.
