Jets bounce back to down Kraken 5-3

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This article was published 17/02/2022 (1348 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Jets are beginning to climb the NHL standings. It’s a statement that seemed improbable just weeks ago.

Earlier this month, the Jets found themselves in a deep hole, mired in a six-game losing streak that had them nine points shy and behind five teams for the final Western Conference playoff spot. But after a stretch of strong play, including a 5-3 home win over the Seattle Kraken Thursday night, the Jets are finally showing some life in the standings.

Josh Morrissey broke open a 3-3 tie with 6:10 remaining, blasting home a pass from Kyle Connor, who put the icing on the cake with an empty-netter with 0.4 seconds remaining on the clock. Eric Comrie made 20 saves for the Jets, who are now 5-2-1 since that two-week losing skid.

“We know where we’re at in the standings, and we need points and wins right now,” Morrissey said. “I’ve liked where our game has been at since we’ve come back from the break, for the most part, and it was an emotional win for us last night and (it was good) to rebound against a team that is coming in fresh and waiting for us here tonight.”

With the victory, Winnipeg improved to 22-18-8 and now have points in five of their last six games (4-1-1). Most importantly, though, the Jets continue to claw their way back into the playoff picture. They’re now just three points back of the Los Angeles Kings for the second wild-card spot.

The Kraken remain in the basement of the Pacific Division and second last in the West, falling to 16-30-4 with the loss. Playing in their first NHL season, the Kraken are 0-2 against the Jets this year, with a third and final game between the two clubs April 13 in Winnipeg.

While the Jets will gladly take the two points, the night began rocky at Canada Life Centre.

The Kraken wasted little time taking advantage of a Winnipeg team that played the night before, finding the scoresheet early into the opening frame. Seattle capitalized on a power play that began just 1:34 into the game, as Logan Stanley was called to the penalty box for boarding.

A shot from Seattle defenceman Vince Dunn would find its way through traffic and past the left pad of Comrie. The Kraken then doubled their lead before the end of the opening frame, this time from an individual effort by Marcus Johansson.

The Kraken forward played keep away with the puck, stickhandling from behind the net, around a couple lazy checks by the Jets and into the slot before firing a low shot for his sixth of the season. Suddenly, it looked like it was going to be another long night for the home side.

But like Saturday’s 5-2 win over the Nashville Predators on Saturday, the Jets were able to climb back.

“It wasn’t necessarily the prettiest game through and through for us, but it’s a huge win,” Morrissey said. “We’re going to need to stack wins together if we’re going to go on a run here.”

Winnipeg managed to partly dig themselves out of their first-period hole, with a shorthanded goal in the dying seconds. Dylan DeMelo banked a pass off the right boards, sending Adam Lowry and Dominic Toninato on a 2-on-1.

Lowry waited until Kraken defenceman Mark Giordano committed to the puck before sliding a pass over to Toninato. Toninato would make no mistake, depositing the biscuit into an open cage for the short-handed marker.

“Huge goal, huge play by Lows and Toni and the end of the first,” added Wheeler. “I thought that changed the game. That gave us a spark. So that was a huge play for us tonight.”

Much like Seattle in the opening frame, the Jets found their scoring touch early into the second period. Blake Wheeler, fresh off a four-assist night in a 6-3 win over the Minnesota Wild Wednesday, saucered a pass to Pierre-Luc Dubois by the left circle. Dubois took two strides before ripping a shot opposite side, top shelf, to tie the game.

Not done there, Wheeler put the Jets on top, 3-2, converting a Paul Stastny pass in the slot for his fifth of the season. Wheeler has been on fire of late, with 11 points (3G, 8A) in the past four games. 

“I mean, is this anything new? I don’t mean that arrogantly, I just mean that…I just have a lot of confidence in the guys I play with,” Wheeler said. “I play a lot of minutes and I just feel like, in time, it’s going to come. It’s about contributing to wins and that’s what feels good. Ultimately, if you’re productive and you’re losing what does it matter? It’s nice to play well when the team’s playing well.”

The game took a turn late in the second period when Mark Scheifele was checked from behind in the offensive zone by Kraken forward Yanni Gourde. A melee ensued, as Scheifele and Wheeler both shed their gloves, tussling with whoever they could get their hands on.

Scheifele, who snapped a five-game goal streak, and Gourde were both assessed penalties, with Gourde receiving the extra two-minute minor to put the Jets on the power play. Winnipeg wouldn’t convert on the man-advantage, finishing the night 0-for-3 on the power play.

The Jets dictated the pace in the early stages of the third period before momentum shifted in Seattle’s favour nearing the midway mark of the frame. Jordan Eberle would eventually make good at the 7:02 mark, redirecting a cross-crease pass from Johansson to tie the game at 3-3.

Comrie was playing in first game since Jan. 29, when he turned aside 28 shots in a 4-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues. After the allowing two goals in the first, the Jets No. 2 netminder looked poised for the remainder of the evening.

Comrie played particularly well in the second period, as the Jets were mounting a comeback. He stoned Eberle on an open chance and stood tall as Dunn broke in alone.

“He just works so hard in practice every day, brings an incredible attitude to the rink,” Wheeler said of Comrie. “He’s a real asset to our team, just all the little things he does behind the scenes for our group. There’s nobody that works harder than him on our team. He earns everything he gets, and we fight for him when he’s in there, and he battles his tail off for us, too.”

The Jets were dealt more bad news on the injury front, with rookie Cole Perfetti forced to leave the game after taking a hard body check from Kraken defenceman Jamie Oleksiak. Winnipeg lost Andrew Copp with an undisclosed injury against the Wild, leaving Copp unavailable Thursday. 

Both players will be re-evaluated on Friday. 

With Perfetti out, Kristian Reichel moved to a line with Connor and Pierre-Luc Dubois, where he drew the second assist on Morrissey’s game-winning marker.Winnipeg will practice Friday before wrapping up a four-game home stand against the Edmonton Oilers Saturday afternoon. They follow that with a four-game road trip, beginning in Calgary Monday afternoon against the Flames.

“We can’t wait and wake up in the morning and see if we got any help,” Lowry said. “We just have to take care of what we have that day. If we can stay in the moment and play the way we are playing, we will give ourselves an opportunity.”

Jeff.Hamilton@freepress.mb.ca 

Twitter: @jeffkhamilton