Tag: Winnipeg Jets

Categories
NHL (National Hockey League)

Flames Aim to Extend Winning Streak in Crucial Showdown Against Jets

Flames Aim to Extend Winning Streak in Crucial Showdown Against Jets
Flames Aim to Extend Winning Streak in Crucial Showdown Against Jets

The Calgary Flames have ignited a three-game winning streak, starting with a road victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Their most recent triumph, a 5-4 win over the Minnesota Wild, highlighted solid gameplay, despite late-game lapses. This streak has pulled the Flames within three points of the Los Angeles Kings for third place in the Pacific Division, rekindling their playoff aspirations. Defenseman Rasmus Andersson praised the team’s effort, noting the significance of the hard-fought victory.

Balanced Scoring Fuels Flames’ Resurgence

Calgary’s recent success stems from contributions across its lineup. Martin Pospisil ended a 26-game scoring drought, while Clark Bishop netted his first NHL goal since 2018. Both players expressed satisfaction in helping secure wins for the team. Additionally, Andrei Kuzmenko, who ended a 28-game slump during the Flames’ last visit to Winnipeg, delivered a two-goal performance against Minnesota, signaling a potential return to form.

Flames Aim to Extend Winning Streak in Crucial Showdown Against Jets
Flames Aim to Extend Winning Streak in Crucial Showdown Against Jets

The Western Conference-leading Winnipeg Jets enter the matchup in fine form, going 6-2-1 in their last nine games. Their recent 5-2 victory over the Utah Hockey Club featured Cole Perfetti’s breakout performance, netting his first career hat trick after a 14-game goalless stretch. Perfetti attributed his success to focusing on consistency and detail, with coach Scott Arniel praising his commitment to team principles.

Final Flames-Jets Matchup of Season Looms

Sunday’s clash marks the final regular-season meeting between the Flames and Jets. Calgary won their last encounter 3-1 in Winnipeg, while the Jets claimed the first matchup 5-3. Jets coach Scott Arniel stressed the need for adjustments, particularly around creating traffic in front of Flames goalie Dustin Wolf to improve scoring chances. Both teams will look to outmaneuver each other in this decisive game.

With playoff implications on the line, the Flames and Jets are determined to maintain their recent momentum. Calgary aims to close the gap in the Pacific Division, while Winnipeg seeks to solidify its Western Conference lead. The game promises an intense battle as both teams lean on reinvigorated players and refined strategies to secure a critical victory.

Categories
NHL (National Hockey League)

Troy Terry’s overtime goal leads the Ducks to another win over the Jets in Anaheim

Anaheim Ducks (NHL)

Troy Terry scored his second goal of the game with 1:26 left in overtime, leading the Anaheim Ducks to a 4-3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night. The Ducks extended their win streak to three games.

Terry also added an assist, while Radko Gudas contributed a goal and an assist. Leo Carlsson also scored, and John Gibson made 27 saves and assisted on the game-winning goal.

For the Jets, Alex Iafallo had a goal and an assist, Mark Scheifele and Adam Lowry each scored, and Josh Morrissey had two assists. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 20 shots for Winnipeg, who have now lost two straight.

Hellebuyck had been on a six-game win streak and was 9-0-1 in his last 10 starts.

Iafallo gave Winnipeg a 3-2 lead with a wraparound goal at 2:44 of the third period. However, Gudas scored his first goal of the season with a slap shot while Gibson was pulled for an extra skater, tying the game at 3-3 with 1:50 remaining.

Winnipeg Jets (NHL)

The Jets had taken a 1-0 lead just 33 seconds into the game. Gabriel Vilardi stole the puck from Gudas and passed it to Kyle Connor, who then set up Scheifele for the opening goal.

Lowry added another for Winnipeg on a two-on-one break, assisted by Iafallo, to make it 2-0 at 17:17 of the first period.

The Ducks answered back at 18:58 of the first when Gudas took a shot from the right point. Carlsson tipped the puck off the post, and it hit the back of Hellebuyck before crossing the goal line to cut the lead to 2-1.

Terry tied the game 2-2 at 6:52 of the second period with a one-timer from the right circle that slid through Hellebuyck’s pads for his team-leading 12th goal of the season.

Categories
NHL (National Hockey League)

Jets Dominate NHL Standings While Avalanche Surge Toward Playoff Contention in 2024 Season

Jets Dominate NHL Standings While Avalanche Surge Toward Playoff Contention in 2024 Season
Jets Dominate NHL Standings While Avalanche Surge Toward Playoff Contention in 2024 Season

The Winnipeg Jets are currently enjoying an unprecedented start to their season, setting an NHL record for the best beginning in league history. They continue to dominate the standings, maintaining a firm grip on the top of their division as 2024 begins. However, despite the Jets’ impressive performance, the Colorado Avalanche are making a strong recovery after a challenging start. After losing their first four games, the Avs are now trending upward, and defenseman Devon Toews believes they can still catch the Jets if they maintain their winning form. Though it may seem unlikely, the Avs remain hopeful and focused on improving their game, no matter where they finish in the standings.

In just a few short weeks, the Avalanche have transformed from a team struggling to make the playoffs into one of the hottest in the NHL. With half the season still ahead, Colorado is once again being viewed as a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. Though their chances of catching the Jets for the top spot in the Central Division appear slim, the Avs believe that a strong showing in their remaining games, including two matchups against Winnipeg before January 22, could make the 11-point deficit much more manageable.

Jets Dominate NHL Standings While Avalanche Surge Toward Playoff Contention in 2024 Season
Jets Dominate NHL Standings While Avalanche Surge Toward Playoff Contention in 2024 Season

Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar emphasizes the team’s approach is more about playing the right way than focusing solely on the standings. The team’s ultimate goal is to finish as high as possible, but Bednar stresses that the process is just as important as the results. Colorado’s recent surge, with nine wins in their last 11 games, is partly due to an improved defense and goaltending. The penalty kill has become a strength, and after a rough patch, the power play has found success, scoring four goals during their five-game winning streak.

A key component of the Avalanche’s turnaround has been their defense and goaltending. Early in the season, they were struggling with one of the worst goals-against averages in the league, but since December 5, they’ve dramatically improved, allowing only 1.91 goals per game. The team’s defensive structure has allowed them to generate more offense, as they’ve realized that strong defense can lead to scoring opportunities. Toews notes that the team has fully embraced this approach, and it’s beginning to pay off as they’ve become more consistent in their defensive play.

Though the Avalanche are playing much better, they are still working to find consistency at even strength, and injuries have continued to impact their lineup. While the return of Jonathan Drouin was positive, the team also lost Valeri Nichushkin to injury during their recent game, demonstrating the ongoing challenges they face. Despite these setbacks, the team remains optimistic. If their goaltending duo of Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood continues to perform well, the Avalanche could be a formidable threat in the second half of the season. Coach Bednar remains confident, seeing significant progress in both the team’s mindset and consistency, and he’s hopeful they can maintain their momentum moving forward.

Categories
NHL (National Hockey League)

Jets kick off 8-game homestand with rematch against Ducks

Anaheim Ducks (NHL)

Good teams are quickly realizing that they can’t take their foot off the gas when facing the Anaheim Ducks.

The Winnipeg Jets learned that lesson two weeks ago in Anaheim and are unlikely to overlook the Ducks when the teams meet on Thursday, as Winnipeg kicks off an eight-game homestand.

The latest top team to fall to Anaheim was the New Jersey Devils, who lost 3-2 to the Ducks on Tuesday night, dropping them out of first place in the Metropolitan Division.

“We thought it was going to come easy,” said Devils forward Timo Meier after the loss.

Earlier, the Ducks made a comeback from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Edmonton Oilers 5-3.

In both games, Anaheim forward Ryan Strome scored the game-winning goal in the final minutes.

“We’re starting to play good hockey,” Strome said after the win against New Jersey. “We’ve got a tough couple of games coming up, but good to close the year with a win.”

After facing the Jets, the Ducks will play the Oilers again the next night in Edmonton.

Anaheim has become more dangerous due to increased contributions from their second line.

While their top line of Strome, Troy Terry, and Frank Vatrano has been successful, Mason McTavish, Cutter Gauthier, and Robby Fabbri are now starting to click as well.

Winnipeg Jets (NHL)

The trio has combined for seven goals and eight assists in the last five games.

“We are communicating well on the ice, on the bench,” Fabbri said. “We are just complementing each other right now. Cutter is skating great, creating plays. McTavish is playing like a horse out there. It’s just going well right now. We’re just trying to ride the high.”

In their previous meeting on December 18, the Jets were leading Anaheim 2-1 with five minutes left, but the Ducks scored twice, including the go-ahead goal from Terry with just 26 seconds remaining.

After that loss, the Jets won four straight games to increase their lead in the Central Division. However, their streak was snapped in a 5-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday in Denver, with the score tied heading into the final period.

“Any time you can go into the third period tied 2-2 in this rink, you hope that you can come out on the right side of it,” said Winnipeg coach Scott Arniel. “We didn’t.”

The Jets were playing their third game in four days after returning from the Christmas break, and they had hosted the Nashville Predators the night before.

“We’re all pros,” said Jets defenseman Neal Pionk. “We’ve been through it before, and we get some teams at home that go through that travel, so we can’t use that as an excuse.”

In Winnipeg’s long homestand, the first three games are against teams with losing records. The Jets have been one of the best home teams in the NHL, with a 14-3-1 record.

“At the end of the day, it would have been nice to dig in a little more and find a way to come up with a win against Colorado,” Jets forward Morgan Barron said. “The effort is there. It’s just about finding ways to make those plays at the end of the game. We’re a resilient group. We know that. We’ll reset, go home, and get on a streak here.”

Categories
NHL (National Hockey League)

Avalanche cruise to a 5th consecutive victory, defeating the Jets

Colorado Avalanche and Winnipeg Jets

Casey Mittelstadt scored the go-ahead goal in the third period as the Colorado Avalanche defeated the Winnipeg Jets 5-2 in Denver on Tuesday night.

Artturi Lehkonen and Devon Toews also scored for Colorado. Josh Manson recorded two assists, and Mackenzie Blackwood made 20 saves in the win, which extended the Avalanche’s streak to five straight victories.

Gabriel Vilardi and Rasmus Kupari scored for the Jets, while Eric Comrie made 33 saves. Winnipeg’s four-game winning streak came to an end.

Jets defenseman Dylan DeMelo was injured late in the third period after taking a shot and limped off the ice to the locker room.

Colorado outshot Winnipeg 25-17 through the first two periods, and Mittelstadt broke a 2-2 tie in the third when he deflected Manson’s shot past Comrie at 7:22. It was his first goal since Nov. 18, marking a span of 19 games, and only his sixth point in 13 December games.

Winnipeg Jets and Chicago Blackhawks (NHL)

Comrie left for an extra skater with 2:06 remaining, and Mikko Rantanen sealed the win with an empty-net goal at 18:31, assisted by Nathan MacKinnon, who recorded his NHL-best 61st point.

Ross Colton added another empty-net goal at 19:53 to complete the scoring.

Lehkonen gave the Avalanche the lead at 11:51 of the first period when he deflected Manson’s shot from the point while being checked by Logan Stanley.

Colorado controlled much of the second period, but the Jets took the first goal when Morgan Barron passed to the far side of the crease, where Kupari tipped it past Blackwood’s left pad at 10:20.

The Avalanche regained the lead later in the period. Cale Makar, who had shaken off a puck hitting his skate, passed to Toews in the left circle. Toews missed his shot, but managed to poke the puck through Comrie’s pads at 16:37.

Winnipeg tied the game again before the second intermission when Vilardi scored on a loose puck in the crease, lifting it over Blackwood’s left shoulder at 18:32.

Categories
NHL (National Hockey League)

Senators, Jets aim to continue strong play after holiday break

Ottawa Senators (NHL)

Two of the NHL’s top-performing teams will meet on Saturday night as the Ottawa Senators face the Winnipeg Jets.

The Senators had their six-game winning streak snapped in their last game, a 3-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday. However, the bigger concern following the loss was the health of goalie Linus Ullmark, who left the game with an upper-body injury.

“His back tightened up, so I felt it was best that he came out,” coach Travis Green said after the game.

The Senators confirmed Friday that Ullmark would not join the team on their five-game road trip starting Saturday and ending Jan. 7 in Detroit.

Before Sunday’s game, Ullmark had been outstanding with a 7-0-0 record, a .967 save percentage, and a 0.99 goals-against average over his previous seven starts.

Without Ullmark, the Senators may turn to Leevi Merilainen, who won his third career game by beating the Vancouver Canucks 5-4 in overtime on Dec. 21, before replacing Ullmark in the Edmonton game.

Veteran goalie Anton Forsberg, who has been out since Dec. 8 due to a lower-body injury, will travel with the team.

This game is important for the Senators as it is the fifth game in their season-long nine-game road trip. They are currently in a playoff spot for the first time since 2016-17, following the NHL’s three-day Christmas break.

Winnipeg Jets (NHL)

Winnipeg, on the other hand, has been strong in goal as well. The Jets are 5-1-1 in their last seven games and have not allowed more than three goals in any of those contests.

Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck has been exceptional, earning four shutouts and ranking at the top of the league with a 2.07 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage.

The Jets’ offense has also been productive, scoring four or more goals in six of their last nine games. Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor are tied for the league lead in goals with 21 each.

“When your top guys can do that, it gets the opposition on their heels a little bit,” said Jets coach Scott Arniel about his top line of Scheifele, Connor, and Gabriel Vilardi.

The Jets have a strong 12-3-1 record at home and have won four straight games against the Senators, though Ottawa did beat them 3-2 in Winnipeg on March 30.

Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey ranks third among all defensemen with 30 assists in 36 games, while Senators forward Tim Stutzle is aiming for 40 points, having already earned 39 in his first 34 games.

Categories
NHL (National Hockey League)

Golden Knights Edge Jets 3-2 in Overtime, Extend Win Streak and Showcase Resilience

Golden Knights Edge Jets 3-2 in Overtime, Extend Win Streak and Showcase Resilience
Golden Knights Edge Jets 3-2 in Overtime, Extend Win Streak and Showcase Resilience

The Vegas Golden Knights secured their fourth consecutive victory in dramatic fashion, defeating the Winnipeg Jets 3-2 in overtime at Canada Life Centre. Ivan Barbashev scored the game-winning goal with 1:15 left in the extra period, extending the Knights’ dominance over the Jets to eight straight wins. Despite trailing 1-0 heading into the third period, Vegas rallied with goals from Keegan Kolesar and Victor Olofsson to force overtime, the latter coming during a critical five-on-three power play late in regulation.

The matchup highlighted the strength of both teams’ power plays, with Vegas entering ranked sixth in the league and Winnipeg second. The Golden Knights capitalized on one of their four power-play opportunities, while the Jets went 0-for-1 despite scoring four power-play goals in their previous two games. Vegas has now scored three power-play goals over its last two contests, showcasing its efficiency with the man advantage.

Golden Knights Edge Jets 3-2 in Overtime, Extend Win Streak and Showcase Resilience
Golden Knights Edge Jets 3-2 in Overtime, Extend Win Streak and Showcase Resilience

Golden Knights captain Mark Stone continued to make an impact in just his second game back from injury. Stone provided the primary assist on Olofsson’s tying goal and had previously contributed an assist in the team’s 3-2 win over Dallas. Despite missing a significant portion of the season, Stone is on pace to surpass his career-high of 64 points, projecting an impressive 104-point campaign.

Defenseman Shea Theodore was another standout performer for Vegas, notching assists on the team’s last two goals to extend his streak of multi-point games to three. With these contributions, Theodore has now recorded six multi-assist games this season and 43 in his career. His consistent play has been a key factor in the Knights’ recent success, including his two-goal performance against Anaheim earlier in the week.

The Golden Knights showcased resilience, skill, and strong leadership to pull off this thrilling overtime victory. With contributions from key players like Barbashev, Stone, and Theodore, Vegas reinforced its status as a Western Conference powerhouse, demonstrating the depth and determination that could carry them far into the season.

Categories
NHL (National Hockey League)

Troy Terry’s goal in the final moments lifts Ducks over Jets

Anaheim Ducks and Winnipeg Jets

Troy Terry scored with 26 seconds left in the game to give the Anaheim Ducks a 3-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday.

While the puck was deep in Winnipeg’s zone, defenseman Neal Pionk tried to clear it, but Anaheim’s Frank Vatrano managed to deflect it. The loose puck went straight to Terry, who was wide open in front of the net and scored the game-winning goal.

Vatrano contributed two goals and an assist, and Radko Gudas recorded two assists.

The Ducks have now won two games in a row, and this victory ended a long losing streak against the Jets. Anaheim had been 0-8-0 against them since the 2021-22 season.

Lukas Dostal made 21 saves on 23 shots, earning his seventh win of the season.

Mark Scheifele and Gabriel Vilardi scored for the Jets, while Kyle Connor had two assists.

Jets goaltender Eric Comrie stopped 28 of 31 shots. He was especially sharp early in the game, as Anaheim outshot Winnipeg 12-4 in the scoreless first period.

Winnipeg Jets (NHL)

The Ducks continued to pressure in the second period, outshooting the Jets 10-4. They finally scored at 4:45 when Gudas fired a shot from the blue line that Vatrano tipped in.

The Jets did not get their first shot on goal in the second period until 9:49. However, a roughing penalty on Anaheim’s Ross Johnston gave Winnipeg’s top power play a chance to score. At 10:24, Nikolaj Ehlers passed from the circle to Vilardi, who scored in front to make it 1-1. This was Vilardi’s sixth power-play goal and 14th of the season.

Connor made a great individual play to set up Winnipeg’s go-ahead goal at 4:13 of the third period. He took the puck behind his net, raced into Anaheim’s zone, and passed to Scheifele for a one-timer.

Vatrano scored again at 15:14, as his long shot beat a screened Comrie to tie the game.

Categories
NHL (National Hockey League)

Jets soaring as they prepare to take on the Ducks

Winnipeg Jets (NHL)

The Winnipeg Jets will try to extend their strong record against the Anaheim Ducks when they face off on Wednesday.

Since the 2016-17 season, the Jets have dominated the Ducks, with a 16-2-1 record in their last 19 games, including an 8-0-0 streak in their last eight meetings.

If the Ducks win on Wednesday, it would be considered an upset based on their previous matchups and their current positions in the standings. Winnipeg is currently leading the NHL with 47 points, boasting a 23-9-1 record, while Anaheim is at the bottom of the Pacific Division with an 11-14-4 record and 26 points.

Anaheim will have a rest advantage, as the Jets are coming off a quick turnaround after a 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday. The Ducks, on the other hand, haven’t played since Saturday, when they broke a five-game losing streak with a 4-3 overtime victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

In that game, despite the Blue Jackets leading 17-5 in shots during the third period, the Ducks’ Jackson LaCombe scored to tie the game at 17:14, forcing it into overtime. Alex Killorn then scored the game-winner in overtime. The Ducks ended a tough road trip with one win in four games.

“I liked three of our games this trip. We just couldn’t find a way to get points,” Ducks forward Ryan Strome said. “So to find a way in the last one … I thought we played a good, hard game. We didn’t give up. We found a way to win.”

Anaheim Ducks (NHL)

Winnipeg also made a comeback against San Jose, overcoming a 3-2 deficit in the third period. Adam Lowry scored the game-winner with 73 seconds left, following a power-play goal from Kyle Connor earlier in the period.

The Jets have the best power play in the NHL with a 31.7 percent success rate (32 of 101). Ten players have scored on the power play, with Connor leading the way with eight goals.

Connor explained the success of the team’s power play: “We make it a focal point to adjust to how they’re killing and be dynamic and unpredictable. I think we’ve done a great job of that this year. (We’re) just scoring different ways every single time. It’s everybody chipping in.”

The Ducks will have to improve their penalty-kill, as their 72.5 percent success rate is among the worst in the league, to counter the Jets’ dangerous power play.

Winnipeg is 5-1-1 in their last seven games. The Jets’ top line, featuring Connor (six goals, five assists), Gabriel Vilardi (four goals, six assists), and Mark Scheifele (four goals, six assists), has combined for 31 points during that stretch.

Anaheim’s Troy Terry, who leads the Ducks with 24 points this season, has 12 points (two goals, 10 assists) in his last 10 games.

The Ducks’ goaltenders, John Gibson and Lukas Dostal, have been sharing the starting duties, but Gibson might get another chance after his strong 39-save performance in Columbus.

Since Connor Hellebuyck played on Tuesday, Jets backup goalie Eric Comrie will start on Wednesday. Comrie has a 3-4-0 record with a 3.05 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage in seven starts.

Categories
NHL (National Hockey League)

Adam Lowry scored a crucial goal late in the game to lift the Winnipeg Jets to a win over the San Jose Sharks

Winnipeg Jets and San Jose Sharks

Adam Lowry scored the go-ahead goal with 73 seconds left in regulation to give the Winnipeg Jets a 4-3 comeback victory over the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday.

The Sharks had a 3-2 lead until Kyle Connor’s power-play goal tied the game at 11:56 in the third period. Lowry then put Winnipeg ahead for good by tipping in Dylan DeMelo’s shot from the point, marking his fourth game-winning goal of the season.

Connor scored twice in another strong performance by the Jets’ top line. Mark Scheifele added a goal and two assists, while Gabriel Vilardi recorded three assists.

Winnipeg is 5-1-1 in its last seven games and has won its last three road games.

Connor Hellebuyck stopped 32 of 35 shots to secure his league-leading 20th win of the season.

The loss was tough for San Jose, as they have now gone 1-5-0 in their last six games.

Macklin Celebrini and Tyler Toffoli each had a goal and an assist for the Sharks, while Fabian Zetterlund added a goal. Jake Walman also contributed two assists.

San Jose Sharks (NHL)

Alexandar Georgiev made 29 saves on 33 shots.

San Jose controlled much of the first period before Winnipeg finally got going. Vilardi passed the puck down the ice to set up a two-on-one rush for Connor and Scheifele, with Connor scoring his first goal at 12:18.

Toffoli responded for the Sharks with his 13th goal just 1:52 into the second period, after Celebrini passed him the puck from behind the net.

Both teams scored power-play goals before the second intermission. At 7:28, a series of passes set up Scheifele for his 17th goal. Celebrini answered for San Jose at 17:11 with a backhander that beat a screened Hellebuyck.

Zetterlund gave the Sharks their first lead of the game at 4:44 in the third, scoring on a two-on-one rush with a wrist shot that beat Hellebuyck.

Winnipeg’s top-ranked power play was 2-for-2, with goals from Scheifele and Connor. The Jets are 32-for-101 (31.7 percent) on the power play this season.

Categories
NHL (National Hockey League)

Jets atop the West looking to take advantage of Sharks’ defensive struggles

Winnipeg Jets (NHL)

The Sharks’ weak defense will face a tough test when they host the high-scoring Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday.

Winnipeg is averaging 3.66 goals per game, and 12 Jets players have at least 11 points. This balanced offense, combined with excellent goaltending from Connor Hellebuyck (2.11 goals-against average, .926 save percentage), has helped the Jets rise to the top of the Western Conference.

In contrast, the struggling Sharks are allowing 3.45 goals per game and 32.5 shots per game, which are among the highest in the NHL.

The difference between the two teams was clear in their first meeting of the season, when the Jets dominated the Sharks 8-3 in Winnipeg on October 18. The eight goals were the most the Jets scored in a game and the most the Sharks have allowed this season.

San Jose is 1-4-0 in its last five games, including a tough 4-3 home loss to the Utah Hockey Club on Saturday. Utah outshot the Sharks 40-22, and Clayton Keller scored a power-play goal with just 44 seconds left to win the game.

In the third period, Utah outshot San Jose 17-4, even though Fabian Zetterlund’s power-play goal gave the Sharks a 3-2 lead five minutes into the period. Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky felt his team lacked a “killer instinct” after taking the lead, saying, “we just stopped playing.”

“We looked for someone else to do each other’s jobs. … We get on our heels and we wait for bad stuff to happen. And it’s just a bad way to play this game,” he said.

San Jose Sharks (NHL)

Vitek Vanecek stopped 36 of 40 shots in the loss on Saturday, trying his best to stop Utah’s pressure. Vanecek could start again on Tuesday, or the Sharks may give Alexandar Georgiev his second start since joining the team.

The Jets are 4-1-1 in their last six games, coming off a 4-2 home win over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday. Winnipeg was led by strong special teams, as their penalty-kill unit was perfect, stopping all four power-play opportunities, and the power-play unit scored twice on six chances.

“That’s how you win in this league,” Hellebuyck said about the special teams. “Especially at this time, when things are getting tighter and teams are figuring out their game and bouncing back from bad games or whatnot. Your big guys have got to bring their A-game on a consistent basis.”

The penalty-kill shutout ended a streak of five straight games where the Jets allowed at least one power-play goal. While the penalty kill has been a weak spot for the Jets, their power play is the best in the NHL at 30.3 percent as of Monday.

Since Winnipeg plays the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday, Hellebuyck and backup goalie Eric Comrie will likely share the goaltending duties in the back-to-back games.

Kyle Connor leads the Jets with 38 points (17 goals, 21 assists). Mikael Granlund is the Sharks’ top point scorer with 32 points (11 goals, 21 assists).

No. 1 overall pick Macklin Celebrini is living up to the hype in his rookie season with 10 goals and 10 assists in his first 21 NHL games. He also has five points (two goals, three assists) during a current three-game point streak.

Categories
NHL (National Hockey League)

Jets move back into first place in the Central with 4-2 victory over Canadiens

Winnipeg Jets and Montreal Canadiens

Gabriel Vilardi and Kyle Connor each contributed a goal and an assist as the Winnipeg Jets beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-2 on Saturday night, moving back into first place in the Central Division.

Josh Morrissey had two assists, and Adam Lowry and Vladislav Namestnikov also scored for Winnipeg. Nino Niederreiter, Dylan DeMelo, and Alex Iafallo each added an assist. Connor Hellebuyck made 26 saves in the victory.

Lane Hutson and Josh Anderson scored for Montreal, with assists from Mike Matheson, Cole Caufield, Christian Dvorak, and Brenden Gallagher. Sam Montembeault stopped 23 shots for the Canadiens.

Hutson gave Montreal an early lead with his first NHL goal at 12:12 of the first period. After a faceoff, he received a pass, moved quickly, and fired a shot from the dot past Hellebuyck.

Vilardi tied the game on Winnipeg’s first power play at 5:26 of the first. Connor made a great pass across the crease to Vilardi, who scored while on one knee.

The Jets responded quickly as Niederreiter sent a backhand pass from behind the net to Lowry, who scored from close range to give Winnipeg a 2-1 lead just 2:06 later.

Montreal Canadiens and Anaheim Ducks

Winnipeg extended their lead to 3-1 at 6:26 of the second period on another power play. Connor fired a shot past Montembeault with just two seconds left in a 5-on-3.

Montreal had a strong chance to score on their own power play, but with 2:27 left in the second, Hellebuyck, sitting on the ice without his stick, stopped a shot from Patrik Laine by swatting the puck away with both hands.

The Canadiens fought back in the third period, cutting the lead to 3-2 with 12:00 left when Anderson scored off a long rebound after a Winnipeg turnover in their zone.

Montreal couldn’t find the tying goal, and Namestnikov sealed the win for Winnipeg with an empty-net goal from the blue line with seven seconds remaining.