Back-t0-backs are not going well for the Winnipeg Jets so far this season.
After going 6-2 last year in the second leg of back-to-backs, the Jets fell to 0-3 in such situations for the 2024-25 campaign with a 3-2 loss to the Ducks in Anaheim Wednesday night.
The Jets wasted a third period lead as the Ducks tied the game with under five minutes left before Troy Terry scored the game winner off a turnover with just 26 seconds remaining.
It’s the first time the Ducks have beaten the Jets in more than three years with the Jets winning their previous eight straight meetings.
“We didn’t play very well for two periods,” said Jets head coach Scott Arniel. “Found a way to get out and get a lead and we’re usually pretty good when we get up, especially in the third period, and made some mistakes. Obviously critical mistakes – one off faceoff play and then just a turnover near the end of the game and Anaheim gets the win.”
Mark Scheifele and Gabriel Vilardi scored for Winnipeg, while Frank Vatrano notched a pair of goals and added an assist for Anaheim.
The Jets were a no-show for the first two periods. It took them 11 minutes to register their first shot on goal in the opening period, and over nine minutes for their first shot of the second as they recorded only eights shots in the first two periods.
“We didn’t do anything in the first period,” said Vilardi. “It was just Eric (Comrie). He was the only one that was playing in the first period.”
The Jets have been outshot in 10 of their last 13 road games.
“We were a little better in the third, but not good enough,” said Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers. “We didn’t deserve that win.”
Ehlers returned to the lineup for Winnipeg after missing their last nine games. He replaced Nikita Chibrikov on the second line and had one assist with two shots on goal.
“Felt nice to be back out there,” he said. “Playing a game is what you want. You don’t want to practice. You don’t want to sit out and watch your teammates go to work. My game wasn’t very good. Had some good shifts but also some really bad stuff.”
It was another hard-luck loss for Comrie who has now lost his last five straight starts.
“He didn’t deserve that today,” said Ehlers. “Our goalies give us a chance to win every single night and he did that again tonight. We weren’t good enough in front of him.”
The first period was one to forget for the Jets. They didn’t register a shot on goal until there was 8:30 remaining, by which time the Ducks had 10 shots on goal and had out-attempted the Jets 22-1.
By the time 20 minutes had been played, the Ducks had outshot Winnipeg 12-4 and had 28 shot attempts to the Jets’ 10. Having said all that, the score remained 0-0 heading to the second period.
The second period started much as the first did with Anaheim asserting control of the game, leading to the opening goal of the contest.
After a net-mouth scramble, Comrie lost his goal stick and he played without it for a few seconds. As he reached to grab it, Vatrano deflected a Radko Gudas point shot past Comrie to make it 1-0 at the 4:45 mark.
Winnipeg didn’t register a shot on goal until there was 9:36 left in the second, but that shot tied the game.
After Ross Johnston was called for a questionable roughing penalty, the Jets won the ensuing faceoff. The puck found its way to Ehlers who rifled a pass towards the front of the net where it hit the skate of Vilardi, trickling into the crease where Vilardi whacked it into an open net to level the score.
Anaheim had two power plays after the Jets scored that goal but they were unable to cash in as the score remained 1-1 after two but the Ducks through 40 minutes had outshot the Jets 22-8 and out-attempted Winnipeg 50-25.
The Jets came out stronger in the third period, leading to the go-ahead goal by their top line. Kyle Connor collected the puck behind his own net and zoomed up the ice, dodging multiple defenders before stopping on a dime in the Anaheim and sliding a cross-ice pass to Scheifele that he blasted past Lukas Dostal at the 4:13 mark.
Winnipeg couldn’t get to the finish line with the lead, however. Off an icing with just under five minutes left, Anaheim won the draw and got the puck back to the point where Vatrano threw the puck on goal and it took a weird bounce, winding up in the back of the net to tie the game.
The contest looked destined for overtime before disaster struck for Winnipeg in the defensive end in the final minute. Neal Pionk had the puck in the corner and as he tried to send the puck up the boards, Vatrano got a stick on it, sending the puck towards open ice near the slot. Terry raced to it, outwaited Comrie and tucked it in with 26 seconds left.
The Jets did manage to get a great look before time expired as Josh Morrissey found Vilardi streaking through the Anaheim zone, but as he tried to put a deke on Dostal, the goalie knocked the puck away with a perfectly-timed poke check to secure the victory.
Winnipeg managed to outshoot the Ducks 15-9 in the third but Anaheim won the shots battle for the game 31-23. Comrie turned aside 28 shots.
The Jets also placed Dylan Coghlan on waivers earlier in the day for the purpose of sending him to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose.
The Jets now return home for their final home game before Christmas Saturday against Minnesota. The puck drops just after 6 p.m. with pregame coverage beginning at 4 p.m. on 680 CJOB.