WINNIPEG – The Winnipeg Jets squandered a three-goal third period lead but awoke in the overtime period to earn two points with a 5-4 victory over the Nashville Predators on Thursday at MTS Centre.
The Jets wasted a 4-1 lead as the Predators scored three times in the final 11 minutes. They scored the equalizer with just 14 seconds remaining to send the game to overtime. But a day after his emotional speech where he asked his teammates to be more emotionally invested, Blake Wheeler scored the overtime winner to salvage the game for Winnipeg.
“You could see some push back there.” Wheeler said. “That’s exciting and more than anything we just had a great feeling in our room. Great feeling on our bench and even 4-2, 4-3, 4-4, I think we still had a good feeling, so that was a good sign for us.”
Shortly after the Jets took a three goal lead the cheers quickly turned into gasps as Dustin Byfuglien got tangled up with Cody Bass along the boards. Byfuglien stayed down and appeared to be in a fair amount of pain holding his left arm/shoulder. He left the game and did not return but the injury might not be as bad as feared. He’ll make the trip to Minnesota with the team and has not been ruled out to play on Friday against the Wild.
“He’s gonna make the trip to Minnesota.” Jets head coach Paul Maurice said. “We’ll see how he is tomorrow. It’s possible.”
Byfuglien was playing an inspiring game before going down. He scored two goals and was a plus-3 with five shots on goal. Bryan Little and Nikolaj Ehlers also scored for Winnipeg. Andrew Ladd had three assists.
“We did a great job on the bench of staying upbeat and staying positive.” Ladd said. “I thought you saw the result of that in overtime.”
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Connor Hellebuyck started his fifth consecutive game and stopped 31 of 35 shots in the win.
“I thought we played a really good game.” Hellebuyck said. “Thought we played a really good team game. Everyone was really chipping in and doing their part. A few couple bad bounces and it didn’t break us and I think that shows a lot of resiliency in this locker room.”
The Preds took the lead just 59 seconds into the contest. Hellebuyck made the initial save on newcomer Ryan Johansen but rookie Kevin Fiala buried the rebound. The game continued briefly but after a stoppage in play they went to review. The puck clearly hit the goal cam and quickly bounced out. It was Fiala’s first career NHL goal.
The Jets came within inches of tieing it up just minutes later. Pekka Rinne wiffed on the Tyler Myers slapper and the puck trickled just wide as Matt Halischuk went crashing into the net. It was a fairly evenly matched period with the shots nine apiece in the first.
Things would stay quiet until just past the six minute mark of the second stanza. Byfuglien’s first shot was blocked but he tracked down his own rebound and fired it in blocker side on Rinne. His 10th goal of the season was assisted by Ladd and Jacob Trouba and the game was tied.
Then just three short minutes later Wheeler made an unbelievable move to dance into the slot and he found Little who hammered in the one-timer for his team leading 15th goal of the season. Mathieu Perreault had the other assist and the Jets had their first lead of the game.
Maybe inspired by Wheeler’s comments on Wednesday, Byfuglien looked like a man on a mission. He circled the net and and scored on the wraparound for his second of the game and 11th of the season and the Jets went ahead by two.
Six minutes into the third Ladd made a tremendous play to tip the puck into the middle to send Ehlers in on the clear cut breakaway and he beat Rinne high blocker side. His eighth goal gave the Jets some breathing room up 4-1.
With Byfuglien out of the game the Predators went on a powerplay soon after and Johansen was left all alone out front and he deked around Hellebuyck for his 8th goal to make it 4-2.
Less than three minutes later the Preds inched even closer. From behind the net Ryan Ellis sent a centring pass in front of the net. It hit Hellebuyck’s stick and Eric Nystrom wacked it in for his 6th of the season and Nashville was within one.
Then with just 14 seconds left in regulation James Neal in the high slot picked the top corner to tie up the game and silence the stunned crowd at MTS Centre.
But just 51 seconds into the overtime period Wheeler cut across the middle and handcuffed Rinne for the game winner. Wheeler’s 12th goal giving the Jets the extra point.
Winnipeg will play the Wild on Friday before returning for six straight games on home ice.
WATCH: Jets react following overtime victory against the Nashville Predators.
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