Ehlers scores first NHL goal with world-class shot past Lundqvist

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 14/10/2015 (3733 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

NEW YORK — The moment might still have been replaying through Nikolaj Ehlers’ head post-game — the world-class shot that beat a world-class goaltender for his first National Hockey League goal — when the Danish rookie was approached by a teammate.

“Congratulations,” began Winnipeg Jets captain Andrew Ladd while shaking Ehlers hand inside the club’s dressing room at Madison Square Garden.

“I’m sure that’s the first of many.”

He might be right, especially if the kid can keep shooting the puck like he did through the first four games of his NHL career.

Ehlers scored the Jets first goal in Tuesday’s 4-1 win over the New York Rangers, taking a feed from Tyler Myers while on the power play before going bar down on Henrik Lundqvist. It was the kind of howitzer blast that was soon after dominating Twitter feeds all across Jets Nation and, likely, the NHL.

“It feels pretty good. And then, in here, it’s a pretty nice arena to score my first goal,” said Ehlers with a grin.

“I got a great pass. The guys worked hard to get the puck to me there, great screen in front of the net, some good traffic.”

The win capped a impressive road trip, not only for the Jets, but for Ehlers. He was greeted by a friend and his son in Boston — both Halifax Mooseheads fans who drove down for his first NHL game with a Danish flag in tow — picked up his first point in New Jersey and his first goal in Madison Square Garden.

“It was exciting. I mean, we’re in New York,” Ehlers said. “It was a great experience playing my first NHL game in Boston and finishing off this road trip with three wins. It was a great four games and we’re happy with the results.

“If I wouldn’t have had any chances at all I would have been a bit worried. But I feel comfortable out there. I have great linemates.

“In the beginning it was hard. It’s definitely a different kind of game from pre-season. But I think I got used to it pretty well… there’s still some things that I can work on and it’s going to come with time.”

Ehlers was asked afterward if, given all the hype Jack Eichel and Connor McDavid were generating, he was playing with a chip on his shoulder. And his answer spoke volumes of why the Jets, in addition to his skill set, fell in love with the kid after interviewing him before the draft.

“You know what, they’re both great players,” said Ehlers. “There’s a lot of great rookies in the league this year. I’m just trying to go out there and play my game, do my best to get some wins with the team here.”

NOTABLE: ESPN’s annual franchise ranking edition is out and the Jets are 69th among all 122 professional teams in the NHL, NFL, NBA and MLB. The ranking takes into consideration ticket prices, coaching, ownership, players, fan experience and “bang for the buck.”

The NBA’s San Antonio Spurs finished first overall for the second year in a row, followed by the Memphis Grizzlies, Tampa Bay Lighting, Anaheim Ducks and Seattle Seahawks.

The Toronto Maple Leafs ranked dead last, FYI.

The Jets were ranked 20th among NHL teams and moved up 28 spots thanks to their playoff appearance, and the improvements made to the MTS Centre.

Scott Burnside, ESPN’s highly-respected hockey writer, penned this about the Jets:

“Under head coach Paul Maurice… the Jets have developed a reputation for hard work and physical play, winning hearts in Manitoba and beyond. That relationship is reflected in double-digit gains in ownership, coaching and players, all of which now rank in the top half of all franchises.”

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @WFPEdTait