WINNIPEG – The Winnipeg Jets posted a second straight exhibition victory on Thursday night at MTS Centre. The Jets scored three unanswered goals to defeat the Calgary Flames 3-1. Mark Scheifele led the way for Winnipeg with a three point night including two goals and one assist. He’s recorded five points over the last two exhibition games. Rookie Nikolaj Ehlers had one goal and one assist as the Jets improved to 2-2-2 for the pre-season.
Jets captain Andrew Ladd left the game after two periods and did not return for the third, but after the game head coach Paul Maurice said the injury was “not significant”.
WATCH: Jets Players and Head Coach Paul Maurice discuss their pre-season win over the Flames
The Flames opened the scoring at 3:38 when Deryk Engelland from the top of the circle beat Michael Hutchinson high glove side. Michael Ferland and Sam Bennett picked up the assists as the Flames took a 1-0 lead.
Just over five minutes later on the powerplay, Jets forward Nic Petan made a pretty pass which left Scheifele a wide open net to tap it in for his second goal of the pre-season. Ehlers drew the other assist and it was 1-1.
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With just 37.3 seconds left in the opening period Ehlers showed why the Jets used a first round draft pick on him. Ehlers weaved into the slot and showed some great patience as he outwaited Flames goalie Joni Ortio. Ehlers fired it in 5-hole for his first goal of the exhibition season. Scheifele and Thomas Raffl had the helpers and the Jets took a 2-1 lead. Calgary outshot the Jets 10-9 in the first.
It was a fairly uneventful start to the second, then mid period Josh Jooris had a scoring opportunity for Calgary. But Hutchinson made a nice trapper save to preserve the Jets one goal lead.
Late in the second, playing 4-on-4, Ben Chiarot from behind the net set up Scheifele, and he buried it for his second goal of the game. Dustin Byfuglien had the second assist and the Jets led 3-1 through 40 minutes of play. Winnipeg outshot Calgary 12-7 in the middle frame.
In the 3rd period, two Flames players snuck in behind the Jets defense for a short 2-on-0. Mikael Backlund set up Bennett but Hutchinson slid across to make the stop to keep it 3-1 Jets.
With 7:43 remaining Raffl dropped the gloves with Brandon Bollig. But Anthony Peluso jumped in before they could even engage and Peluso and Bollig squared off. Peluso received an extra minor penalty for instigating and a 10 minute misconduct.
This was a mandatory overtime game as the NHL continued to experiment with the new 3-on-3 format. But just 35 seconds into the extra frame Tyler Myers added one more goal for the Jets just to rub a little salt in the wound of the Flames.
The Flames led in the shot department 33-26 as Hutchinson finished with 32 saves. The Jets penalty kill was a perfect five for five, while their powerplay clicked on their one and only opportunity with the man advantage.
Toby Enstrom, Mark Stuart, Chris Thorburn, Mathieu Perreault, Paul Postma and Blake Wheeler were all scratched.
26 players are still with the team with the Jets needing to get down to a 23-man roster for the start of the regular season. The Jets close out the pre-season on Saturday with the rematch against Calgary. The Jets season opener is October 8 in Boston.
For more information go to winnipegjets.com
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