Jets bounce back from weak first period to bury Habs

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This article was published 28/01/2025 (226 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MONTREAL – Mark Scheifele did his best to block out the noise.

Booed mercilessly every single time that he touched the puck — and sometimes before it even arrived on his stick — Scheifele did his part as the Winnipeg Jets earned a 4-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday before a raucous crowd at the Bell Centre.

There’s little doubt the Canadiens fans have a long memory and still haven’t forgiven Scheifele for the hit in Game 1 of the 2021 series that left Jake Evans with a concussion and removed the Jets’ top centre from the post-season with a four-game suspension.

Scheifele has done his best to move past the incident and has no ill will toward those voicing their disdain.

“You don’t even really hear it, to be honest,” said Scheifele. “This is a fantastic rink to play in, obviously a lot of history for the Canadiens. You kind of drown it out. Once in a while, if there’s no pressure on you, you hear it a little bit and you laugh a little bit.

“Obviously it was a fantastic win by us, and (we) move on to the next one.”

Early in the second period, Scheifele did his part to quiet that crowd, getting loose in the slot and burying a pass from Gabe Vilardi that gave the Jets a lead they would not relinquish.

The goal moved Scheifele to 29 goals for the season and tied with Kyle Connor for the team lead.

It was Scheifele’s only point of the contest, but it was another strong outing for him and the Jets’ top line, as Connor had two goals and Vilardi had two assists.

That gave the trio 14 points during the past two games — with nine of them coming at even strength.

Connor settled things down in the first period at a time when the Jets were being soundly outplayed, then supplied the dagger with 1.5 seconds to go in the second period to move to 29 goals for the season.

“I’d like to have a lot more assists right now. I’d like for him to have more (goals) than me. I pride myself on my passing,” said Scheifele. “I think I have more goals than I do assists (28) right now, so I’ve got to set him up for more in the future.”

The Jets, who are riding a four-game winning streak, improved to 35-14-3 on the season and are back in action Thursday as they continue this three-game road trip against the Boston Bruins.

Let’s take a closer look at how things unfolded:

STABILIZING FORCE

This was not the type of start the Jets were looking for as they were outshot and outplayed for a good chunk of the first period.

Thanks to the play of Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck, the Jets surrendered only one goal on 15 shots.

Connor’s first of two goals, after a point shot from Dylan DeMelo, left the Jets tied after the opening 20 minutes of play.

Making his 40th start of the season, Hellebuyck was at his best, earning his 31st victory of the campaign.

“He is such a calm presence in there and the game just comes to him and it seems he is never under duress no matter how much stress or pressure,” said Connor. “He stands tall in there and plays his game.”

THE STREAK

Jets centre David Gustafsson has been one of the players who has elevated his game in the absence of captain Adam Lowry.

Gustafsson extended his point streak to four games by earning the primary assist on Connor’s second goal of the game.

With time winding down in the second period, Gustafsson hustled on the forecheck, won a board battle with Canadiens defenceman Kaiden Guhle and had the presence of mind to locate Connor in the slot and make a perfect pass to him.

“It was one of those where I was at the end of the shift and I was just trying to get behind them,” said Connor, who is up to 65 points in 52 games this season. “There were five or six seconds left when I looked up and Gustafsson made an incredible play down low to win that battle. They lost coverage and I found some time in the slot. He did all the work there and teed it up for me.”

Connor’s goal came with 1.5 seconds and gave the Jets a two-goal cushion.

“Just poise and vision in a chaotic situation,” said Scheifele. “That was an unbelievable play by him.”

Gustafsson has one goal and four points in 20 games this season.

“We’ve talked about it in the past. When we’re on our game, our forecheck is one of our strengths,” said Jets head coach Scott Arniel. “And we hem teams in, we get in and turn pucks over. And that was a great example. That’s a tough one for them. Big one for us.”

THE DISRUPTION

With 3:27 to go in the second period, the Canadiens were buzzing in the offensive zone and nearly tied the game.

A low shot from Canadiens captain Brendan Gallagher was kicked out by Hellebuyck to an area where it looked like Michael Pezzetta would have a glorious chance to even the score at 2-2.

Jets defenceman Haydn Fleury made a desperation play and disrupted Pezzetta’s ability to bury the rebound and tie the game.

“We had a breakdown, but when there’s a loose puck sitting there and you get a stick on it — whether that’s a save by Helly or us kind of (giving) a second effort, that’s what it takes,” said Arniel.

THE KEY PLAY

Gustafsson forces a turnover and finds Connor alone in the slot for a dagger that gave the Jets a two-goal cushion.

THE THREE STARS

1. Kyle Connor, Jets, two goals, two points,
2. Gabe Vilardi, Jets, two assists,
3. Connor Hellebuyck, Jets, 24 saves, including 14 in the first period.

EXTRA, EXTRA

Rasmus Kupari snapped a 12-game goalless drought by scoring an empty-netter with 1:45 to go after Nikolaj Ehlers skated the puck into the offensive zone and dished it over to Kupari.

Kupari is up to four goals for the season and his career-high is five, set with the Los Angeles Kings during the 2021-22 season.

The Jets dressed the same lineup, which meant the healthy scratches were defencemen Colin Miller and Ville Heinola and forward Brad Lambert, who was recalled from the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League on Monday.

Guhle left the game in the third period with what appeared to be a right knee injury.

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

X and Bluesky: @WiebesWorld