Jets come back to dump Devils 4-3 in shootout
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 27/03/2017 (2558 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Patrik Laine’s goal on a slick little deke didn’t aid his push for the NHL’s rookie scoring title but it did propel the Winnipeg Jets to a road victory Tuesday night.
The Finnish-born rookie faked once and then slid the puck through goalie Cory Schneider’s legs for the only goal of the shootout as the Jets made the most of a special trip to New Jersey, earning a 4-3 comeback triumph over the Devils at Prudential Center.
Winnipeg (35-35-7) had to interrupt a short home stand to return to New Jersey and play a game that was postponed March 14 because of a winter storm in the area.
Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck, making his first start in three games, stopped 20 shots through regulation and overtime, and then denied John Quenneville, Taylor Hall and Pavel Zacha in the shootout.
Schneider put in a solid 33-save effort for the Devils (27-35-14), who are last in the Eastern Conference.
The shifty play has become Laine’s go-to move in shootouts.
“I was kind of thinking about it on the way to the goal, and decided when I saw (Schneider) coming out so much I thought I should make that move, and it was good,” he said, in a post-game scrum with reporters.
“I do my move and it goes in or it doesn’t.”
Laine, who returned to the lineup after shaking off an illness that sidelined him Sunday against the visiting Vancouver Canucks, has fallen behind Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maples Leafs in the rookie goals and points races.
On Tuesday, Matthews notched his 35th goal and 62nd point – one more in each category than the Jets youngster – as the Leafs nipped Florida 3-2.
Winnipeg right-winger Joel Armia tied the contest 3-3 just 2:40 into the third period with his ninth-goal of the year on a splendid individual effort. He picked up a loose puck in his own end, chugged down the right side, walked past a couple of Devils and then ripped a snap shot from the faceoff dot over goalie Schneider’s shoulder.
The Jets penalty killers snuffed out four New Jersey power-play chances and haven’t allowed a goal in three games.
Armia has now potted three short-handed goals this season.
“We’re going to save him for that,” Jets head coach Paul Maurice, addressing the media, said wryly. “I was gonna make a joke that we’ll start taking more penalties, but I don’t think that’s very funny.”
The Jets have been assessed the second-most minor penalties (294) in the league, just two behind the Calgary Flames.
“I’ve liked our penalty killing, with the exception of the (Los Angeles) game… we’re really starting to get in sync with being aggressive, and full marks for (Armia’s) battle on that.”
The Jets’ PK gave up three goals to the Kings in last week’s 5-2 defeat in L.A.
Blake Wheeler and Nikolaj Ehlers both scored their 23rd goals of the season for Winnipeg, which rallied from a 3-1 deficit to the Devils with five minutes left in the second period.
Blue-liner Julian Melchiori earned his first-ever NHL point when his shot was tipped in by the Jets captain late in the middle frame.
“It’s exciting to get the first one out of the way. Obviously, I’m not known for my scoring but happy to get it, for sure,” he said.
New Jersey got its goals from forwards Beau Bennett, Taylor Hall and Stefan Noesen.
Defenceman Dustin Byfuglien, who missed two games with a lower-body injury, rejoined a blue-line group that has been ravaged by injuries.
The Jets were officially eliminated from the playoff race Monday night following the St. Louis Blues’ 4-1 triumph over the Arizona Coyotes.
“The fact we are officially eliminated from the playoffs, the emotions were a little low,” said Maurice. “We didn’t have a lot left in the tank here tonight. But they didn’t quit, they stayed in the fight. It was a good result.”
Wheeler, who now has 68 points on the campaign, concurred.
“It was a snoozer. You could tell it was a rescheduled game there in the first period, it was kind of quiet out there,” he said. “But we gutted it out.”
Following the team’s morning skate Tuesday, Maurice disclosed that injured defenceman Paul Postma (lower body) could face surgery in the next week or so. Other Jets on the shelf with injuries include defencemen Tyler Myers (lower body), Toby Enstrom (upper body) and Ben Chiarot (upper body), winger Shawn Matthias (upper body) and goalie Ondrej Pavelec (lower body).
Maurice was asked if any members of the AHL’s Manitoba Moose — presumably forwards Kyle Connor and Jack Roslovic — might get a late-season promotion to exhibit their progress at the pro level.
“We’ve got lots of young players in our lineup right now fighting for jobs,” he said. “We’ll see. That’ll be a decision related to (general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff) will be looking to make.”
NOTES: Winnipeg blue-liner Brian Strait and winger Marko Dano were healthy scratches.
Rookie defencemen Josh Morrissey is the only Jets defencemen to play in all 77 games this season.
Jets winger Mathieu Perreault had a six-game point streak (4g, 6a) snapped.
The Jets return home for a 7 p.m. start Thursday against the Anaheim Ducks at MTS Centre and then host the Ottawa Senators on Saturday at 6 p.m.
Jason Bell
Sports editor
Jason Bell wanted to be a lawyer when he was a kid. The movie The Paper Chase got him hooked on the idea of law school and, possibly, falling in love with someone exactly like Lindsay Wagner (before she went all bionic).
History
Updated on Tuesday, March 28, 2017 11:03 PM CDT: Full write through and adds photos