Jets cool off high-flying Penguins

The Winnipeg Jets finally came up with the complete game they’d been searching for. And now the reigning Presidents’ Trophy winners find themselves in a familiar position: On top of the NHL standings.

A 5-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday afternoon was fuelled by a fast start — they needed just 15 seconds to open the scoring — and a pretty flawless 59:45 that followed.

Winnipeg improves to 9-3-0, which gives them a league-leading point percentage of .750.

“That looks more like us from last year,” said Jets head coach Scott Arniel.

“I thought we played extremely fast. We got out of our zone fast. We got zone transition. We moved it quick. We didn’t hold on to pucks. We didn’t dust it off. We didn’t take it back. We’re hard to defend when we come after people with speed like that.”

Making the victory even more impressive is the fact the Penguins came to town as the top team in the NHL, on a scorching 6-0-2 run. The Jets seemed to take the challenge of facing a high-flying opponent personally, serving up a stark reminder that they can be a real force themselves.

“We were dialled in,” said Jets forward Kyle Connor, who led the way with two goals. “We were on our toes today, playing right.”

That was evident right from the opening faceoff, as the Jets won possession and immediately went down and scored. The red-hot Gabe Vilardi banked a shot in off Pittsburgh goaltender Arturs Silovs, giving him five goals in the past five games.

“I always say these afternoon games, it’s whoever wakes up first usually gets the gets the advantage,” said Arniel.

“And our top line, we know what they’ve been doing for us. That was great. Obviously got the building excited right away. And everybody’s up on their toes now. Puts a team, a visiting team, on their heels, and that’s what you want to do.”

First goal

The party was just getting started. The crowd of 14,262 was still buzzing from the quick strike when Brad Lambert gave them another big reason to cheer.

The 21-year-old, playing in his ninth NHL game, scored his first big-league goal. Linemate Parker Ford fed him a perfect cross-ice pass which Lambert got a stick on just 2:43 into the opening period.

“I’ve been dreaming of that moment,” said Lambert, the 30th-overall draft pick of the Jets in 2022. “When you’re playing road hockey as a kid or whatever, you’re kind of envisioning those moments so it’s pretty special.”

Lambert and Ford spent plenty of time playing together with the Manitoba Moose last season, so it was fitting they connected for his magic marker.

“You couldn’t write it up any better. I wouldn’t have it any other way. He made a great play on that goal,” said Lambert, who came into the lineup in place of the injured Gustav Nyquist (undisclosed, day-to-day).

The Jets don’t experience many “first goals” these days — they are a veteran squad, after all — but the excitement over this one was shared by teammates.

“Definitely awesome for Lambo. He’s looked great,” said Connor. “He was skating really well. For him to go to the net and score the way he did, it was great. We were happy for him.”

And, it turns out, up to some post-game shenanigans when it comes to the rookie.

“I was actually looking for my clothes, I don’t know where they went,” Lambert said with a laugh. “I have yet to find out what’s going on. They were over there at my stall when I went to play the game, and I came back and they were gone. We’ll see if I can find them here.”

Bizarre goal

File this one under “things you don’t expect to see at a hockey game.”

After Vlad Namestnikov made it 3-0 early in the second period — he finished off a terrific pass from Jonathan Toews — the Jets were continuing to press for more.

They made it 4-0 midway through the frame, courtesy of a penalty shot goal by Connor that had everyone reaching for the rulebook.

While on the power play, Silovs tried to play the puck up to a teammate only to throw it directly onto the stick of Connor, who looked like he had a free path to a wide-open net. The Penguins goaltender responded by throwing his stick in the direction of the Jets winger, who put the ensuing shot wide.

“I wasn’t really sure what was going on,” said Connor. “I actually didn’t know the rule so I didn’t know if they were discussing whether it was a goal. I didn’t really expect a penalty shot. Nice I got another shot at it.”

Some thought Connor should have been awarded an automatic goal. Turns out he would have been had the net truly been empty and a stick was tossed in his direction with the goalie on the bench for an extra attacker.

“That’s a pretty unique play,” said Connor, who is now up to eight goals after sealing the victory late in the third period with an empty netter.

Local flavour

The Penguins had a couple of Manitobans in their lineup, with plenty of family and friends in attendance.

Forward Connor Dewar (The Pas) and defenceman Owen Pickering (St. Adolphe) had tough starts to their day, with the duo being on the ice for the first three Winnipeg goals.

However, they were on the right side of the scoresheet midway through the third period as Blake Lizotte crashed the crease to cut the Jets lead to 4-2. Dewar, 26, registered an assist on the play and is now up to five points (3G, 2A) in 13 games.

Scheifele’s surge

Mark Scheifele had a stellar October on the ice and his reward was being named the NHL’s second star of the month on Saturday morning.

He got November off to a solid start, registering two assists, to give him 20 points (9G, 11A) through 13 games. That had him leading all NHL players heading into Saturday night’s action.

Linemates Connor (8G, 9A) and Vilardi (5G, 8A) aren’t too far behind him.

“It’s unbelievable. Watching those guys every day in practice, there’s so much you can learn from them,” said Lambert.

“Just how good they are out there is special to watch. It’s a great opportunity to be in this situation to see them day in and day out and what they do and try to learn from their game.”

Key play

Vilardi’s goal on the first shift of the game set the tone for what was to come.

Three stars

1. WPG LW Kyle Connor: 2 goals

2. WPG C Mark Scheifele: 2 assists

3. WPG G Eric Comrie: 28 saves

Extra extra

The Jets went 0-for-3 on the power play, while Pittsburgh went 1-for-2. Sidney Crosby, who is showing no signs of slowing down, had an Erik Karlsson point shot bounce in off his pants late in the second period.

Jets defenceman Luke Schenn was replaced in the lineup by Colin Miller. Arniel said the move is related to a blocked shot by Schenn during the third period of Winnipeg’s win over Chicago.

Comrie is now a perfect 3-0-0 on the year and giving the Jets plenty of confidence as the backup to Connor Hellebuyck.

“In all three of his games, he has been really good and gave us a chance,” said Arniel.

“We know what this season looks like, what the schedule looks like and he’s gonna have to play some more games. When he does that on a consistent basis you can see his teammates, they want to make sure they go out there and do their best in front of him.”

The Jets now begin a stretch of 11 of their next 14 games in enemy territory, with a six-game road trip starting Tuesday in Los Angeles.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X and Bluesky: @mikemcintyrewpg