Jets choke on four-goal lead, lose in OT

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This article was published 31/03/2014 (4206 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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ANAHEIM – Winnipeg Jets fans will get a chance to share some good memories tonight as they watch their team play one of their heroes for a final time.

The Jets meet Teemu Selanne’s Anaheim Ducks tonight (9 p.m., Jets on TSN, TSN 1290) for likely the last time in a relationship that dates back to Winnipeg’s first go-round in the NHL.

Selanne is one of the golden boys in Jets history, right up there with Anders Hedberg, Ulf Nilsson and Thomas Steen.

If you have a favourite Teemu memory you’d like to share, send it to us and we’ll try to print some in Tuesday’s paper.

Selanne has stated he intends to retire after this season and this is the last scheduled regular season meeting between the Jets and the Ducks.

While the Ducks are headed to the post-season, however, the Jets are on the verge of being officially eliminated.

Winnipeg heads into this game having won four of its last 14 games and is 1-2 on its current five-game road trip. The Jets will travel to Phoenix following tonight’s game and meet the Coyotes in Glendale on Tuesday night.

The Jets recalled goalie Michael Hutchinson as well as defenceman Ben Chiarot and Zach Redmond on Sunday.

Matt Halischuk scored his fourth goal of the season on Saturday. It’s been a struggle for Halischuk to get in the lineup due to injury and coaching decsions and he’ll be playing in his 40th game tonight.

“It’s good to be in the lineup right now an I’m like everybody trying to earn the new coach’s trust,” said Halischuk. “Playing with (Evander Kane) and (Eric O’Dell) has been good. O’Dell sees the ice well and Kane has that speed and one-on-one ability. I’m just trying to retrieve pucks and go to the net. Kane has the ability to get the puck on net and good things can happen there.”

Ondrej Pavelec will start in goal for the Jets. He played just 20 minutes in Saturday’s 4-2 to the Los Angeles Kings allowing three goals on 16 shots after returning from a six-game stint on the injured list.

Jets coach Paul Maurice said Montoya tweaked something in Saturday’s game and is day-to-day.

Redmond will join the lineup to replace Keaton Ellerby (day to day with a lower body injury).

gary.lawless@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @garylawless

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