Jets beat Devils for back-to-back wins

This time, it was simply two steps forward — and no steps back — for the Winnipeg Jets.

After putting an 11-game losing skid in the rear-view mirror, the Jets have now earned consecutive victories for the first time in nearly two months after a 4-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Sunday.

This was an eventful matinee, with both teams showing the desperation one would expect from groups with lofty expectations that currently reside below the playoff line.

With the game tied 3-3 in the third period, Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey was his elusive self, getting involved offensively and finding Tanner Pearson with a pass at the top of the crease to provide the decisive marker.

“It’s a tie game going into the third, those are the games where you’ve got to put your foot down,” said Pearson, who is up to six goals for the season. “What we went through (during the losing streak) was hard. We got that one and hopefully, we can keep stringing these ones together.”

The Jets, who improved to 17-22-5, close out this five-game homestand on Tuesday against 2025 first overall pick Matthew Schaefer and the New York Islanders.

Winnipeg hadn’t earned consecutive victories since Nov. 15 and Nov. 18 against the Calgary Flames and Columbus Blue Jackets.

“That’s frustrating that it took so long for that. But, it doesn’t seem real,” said Jets forward Cole Perfetti. “There were some stretches where we didn’t play our best. it’s nice to get over the hump and start playing better hockey and start getting some wins.”

Stacking wins is now the order of the day for a Jets team nine points out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

“We’re a streaky team,” said Jets head coach Scott Arniel. “We liked streaks last year, we’ve got streaks going this year. We’re streaky.”

Let’s take a closer look at this one:

Fourth line mojo

With Pearson scoring on Sunday, it gave him two goals and three points during the past three games, as the fourth line contributed a goal in each of those contests.

With secondary scoring being such a storyline for the Jets during the first half of the season, this combination with Danny Zhilkin between Pearson and Cole Koepke appears to be finding its groove.

“We’re trying to be responsible defensively and let that kind of lead to our chances,” said Pearson. “Obviously, there’s a lot of speed there and I’m trying to keep up to those two. It’s just simple hockey. Try not to force too many things, try to wear them down.”

Koepke chipped in an assist on Pearson’s goal and has also been on the scoresheet in each of the past three games since returning to the lineup.

Zhilkin has looked extremely comfortable since being recalled from the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League and he saw another 72 seconds of action on the penalty kill in his third NHL game in just under eight minutes of ice time.

The homecoming

Winnipegger Cody Glass scored a pair of goals for the visitors in front of family members and friends.

The first goal showed off his soft hands as he drove hard to the net and buried a crisp feed from Jack Hughes.

The second required a bit of good fortune as he pounced on a rebound and unleashed a shot that caromed in off Jets defenceman Dylan DeMelo.

“It’s nice,” said Glass. “Playing in front of my family is always a dream come true for me. I never take playing in the NHL for granted, especially in front of them. I’ve dreamt of playing the Jets, or of just being here, so it’s a dream come true, but it just sucks not being able to win in front of them.”

Glass wasn’t sure how many supporters he had in the crowd.

“I always put down that I’m inviting my family. There are pretty much four of them, but I always put 30 to 40 (people) on the list,” said Glass. “My dad is always pretty good at picking up some scavengers.”

Glass, who was chosen sixth overall by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017 NHL Draft, is up to nine goals this season, leaving him on pace to eclipse his career-high of 14, set with the Nashville Predators in 2022-23.

The challenge

Just 3:28 into the second period, the Devils thought they had taken a 3-2 lead — one shift after Jonathan Toews tied the game for the Jets.

Jonas Siegenthaler ripped a slapshot home with the net vacated because Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck was unable to reset after Devils forward Paul Cotter made contact with him.

Hellebuyck was demonstrative after the puck went in urging Arniel to challenge the play.

“Yeah, that one was a lot different than the one last game,” said Arniel. “Because the guy (Cotter) came in and didn’t allow him to push back to go back to the net. Yeah, we saw the emotion there.”

The Jets used a coach’s challenge on the play and it was successful, leaving the game tied, at least momentarily.

Arniel also considered using a challenge on the Devils first goal from Nico Hischier, as it appeared the right skate of Jack Hughes made contact with Hellebuyck’s left skate before the rebound chance went in.

But after taking a long look at the replay, the Jets opted against using the coach’s challenge on that particular play.

“We were 50-50 on that one,” said Arniel. “That is what happened in the last game. We weren’t sure. The next one (the Siegenthaler goal) was a little more obvious.”

The key play

Pearson converts a pass from Morrissey for the game-winning goal at 6:17 of the third period.

The three stars

Josh Morrissey, Jets, Set up a pair of goals, including the game-winner.

Cole Perfetti, Jets, Chipped in a pair of assists.

Cody Glass, Devils, Scored a pair of goals.

The injury

Jets defenceman Colin Miller left the game late in the first period after he was on the receiving end of an awkward hit from Devils winger Arseny Gritsyuk.

Gritsyuk caught Miller from behind and he suffered an injury to his left leg on the play.

Miller needed help getting to the locker room and after further evaluation, he came up to test things out prior to the second period starting, but after a quick twirl, he made his way back down the tunnel and didn’t return with what the Jets are calling a lower-body injury.

The timing couldn’t be worse for Miller, who returned to the lineup on Friday and did an excellent job on the second pairing with Dylan Samberg.

Arniel said Miller would be evaluated on Monday, but the Jets aren’t back on the ice until Tuesday so an update won’t likely be provided until then.

Should Miller need to be placed on injured reserve, it could provide the Jets with the opportunity to recall top defence prospect Elias Salomonsson.

Extra! Extra!

Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck made his 26th start of the season and recorded his first win since Dec. 13, which was his first game back after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery.

Hellebuyck finished with 24 saves as he improved to 10-12-4 for the season.

Alex Iafallo, Gabe Vilardi and Jonathan Toews also scored for the Jets.

The healthy scratches for the Jets were defenceman Luke Schenn and forward Gustav Nyquist.

Former Manitoba Moose defenceman Johnathan Kovacevic made his season debut for the Devils, replacing Dougie Hamilton (healthy scratch) in the lineup. Kovacevic, who was chosen by the Jets in the third round (74th overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft took 22 shifts for 18:04 of ice time and chipped in an assist.

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