Winnipeg Jets 7, Vancouver Canucks 4. The Jets forecheck was tenacious while the Canucks defensive shortcomings were simply too much to overcome.
It didn’t take as long as it did on Thursday night at home against the Colorado Avalanche in the Canucks 4-2 win, but Vancouver showed similar resiliency early in bouncing back from a two-nothing deficit in Winnipeg on Sunday.
This time it didn’t hold up despite coming from behind twice.
In the first period, sandwiched around a Canucks goal by Ilya Mikheyev being cancelled on an offside review, the Jets picked up two goals by Kyle Connor in the first eight minutes. Against Colorado, the Canucks comeback started in the 2nd period. This time they picked up two late in the first.
Canucks Goal Scorers
1st Period
2-1 Jets – Even Strength – J.T. Miller (15) from Elias Pettersson and Andrei Kuzmenko, 15:14
After a relentless forecheck by Pettersson, who poked the puck in front, Miller whacked it past goalie David Rittich.
2-2 Tie – Even Strength – Jack Studnicka (3) from Luke Schenn and Dakota Joshua, 17:33
The league leading 29th tip-in goal for the Canucks, with Studnicka redirecting a point shot in the right slot.
Turning Point?
Jets sniper Nick Ehlers, in just his second game back after recovering from sports hernia surgery he underwent in November, ripped one off the far post and in from low in the right wing circle to give the Jets a 3-2 lead at the 3:40 mark of the 2nd period.
Canucks goalie Collin Delia was deep in his net.
Less than two minutes later Adam Lowry took a 130-foot stretch pass up the middle and hit the side of the post on his breakway attempt, but was able to find Morgan Barron alone in front off the carom for an easy goal to give the Jets a 4-2 lead.
Delia got yanked and was replaced by Spencer Martin in the Canucks net.
Bo Horvat would answer at the 7:04 mark.
Sheldon Dries would get the club’s 30th deflection goal to tie things up again.
The Canucks dominated offensive possession in the ensuing minutes.
2nd Period
4-3 Jets – Even Strength – Bo Horvat (29) from J.T. Miller and Ethan Bear, 7:05
Horvat simply skated into the right wing circle on the rush and smoked one top shelf, high glove.
4-4 Tie – Power Play – Sheldon Dries (5) from J.T. Miller and Conor Garland, 9:26
Dries in the slot had the perfect redirection of a slap pass from Miller.
— Jets forward Axel Jonsson-Fjallby would score his first goal in ten games while rushing into the left wing circle. He fired the shot through the legs of Schenn and off the helmet of Martin into the top corner of the net. Winnipeg had the lead again 5-4.
3rd Period
Remarkably, the Jets took a two-goal lead for the third time in the game. This time defenceman Dylan DeMelo trailed the play and went top shelf with a short-handed goal, the ninth given up by the Canucks this season.
Kyle Connor would finish off a hat trick to make it 7-4 after his linemates stole the puck on the forecheck.
— The Canucks outshot the Jets 38-27. Vancouver went 1-for-3 on the power play. Winnipeg didn’t have one.
Canucks 3 Stars:
1) J.T. MIller – A three point night, his first of the season and 26th of his career.
2) Quinn Hughes – All over the ice, blew away the rest of the D-men in ice time, drew penalties.
3) Elias Pettersson – Showed his usual wizardry. Had an assist.
