The Winnipeg Jets are back in the win column.
For the first time since last May the Jets left the ice of Canada Life Centre to the sound of their goal horn and Frank Sinatra’s ‘Come Fly With Me’.
Mark Scheifele scored twice, including the third period game-winner in the 3-2 victory, while Connor Hellebuyck made 29 saves for the now 1-1-0 Jets on Saturday afternoon.
Alex Iafallo got things going for Winnipeg on an early first period power play. With Kyle Connor and Gabe Vilardi drawing the assists on the passing play, Iafallo found his first from the slot just 4:48 into the frame.
The 12:30 PM central start was more like a 10:30 AM start for the Kings, which came out of the gate a little sluggish. Three-straight penalties led to Winnipeg’s opening goal, and quite a few more opportunities as the period wore on. The Jets finished the frame up 1-0 and leading 14-9 on the shot chart.
The second period, however, was a disaster.
A sloppy start led to an early marker from the visitors. A Mikey Anderson point shot found its way through Connor Hellebuyck from the point, knotting the game at ones just 50 seconds in.
Nine minutes later, Adrian Kempe and Anze Kopitar combined for a dazzler, with Kempe finishing off the passing play, giving the visitors a 2-1 lead at the game’s midway point.
Winnipeg found itself in penalty trouble at times throughout the frame, leading to an onslaught of Kings chances. But with time winding down and the Kings having knotted up the shot tally, Mark Scheifele took matters into his own hands.
With Morgan Barron winning a defensive zone puck battle, he got the disc to Scheifele, who raced up ice, fending off a few checkers and tucked the puck past Darcy Kuemper and into the net, tying the game at twos with just 1:03 to go in the middle stanza.
“Bear was in a good spot, kind of forcing that guy in the middle to be in a tough spot,” Scheifele said of the play. “Obviously, we kind of got a lucky bounce. Good play by Bear there. I was the lucky one to get lucky.”
Defenceman Haydn Fleury blocked a shot late in the second period on a Jets penalty kill and did not return to the game. He attempted to skate around after the second period but did not come out with the team for the their period. Thus, Winnipeg was down to five defencemen for the final frame, and Fleury’s injury may a point of concern going forward.
With 8:13 to go in the frame, Scheifele potted his second of the game, giving Winnipeg its second lead, as he redirected a floater from the point off a Josh Morrissey writer. The goal gave the Jets a 3-2 lead.
“It was a good o-zone shift, I think, the defence included,” Scheifele said of the game-winner. “We all supported the puck well, guys in the right spot. Obviously, JMo made a good shot. Just a good o-zone shift.”
Winnipeg killed off a late Neal Pionk penalty, then fended off a very late 6-on-4 man advantage with Tanner Pearson in the box for the final 17 seconds, handing the Kings their second loss in three games this season, and picking up their first victory in the process.
Hellebuyck turned aside 29 of the Kings’ 31 shots on goal, while Kuemper made 24 stops on the 27 pucks fired his way by Winnipeg.
Next up for the Jets is a quick two-game road trip through the Eastern Conference. Winnipeg will face off against the New York Islanders on Tuesday at noon before heading to Philadelphia for a 6:00 PM central test against the Flyers.
