Morrissey hits milestone in Jets win over Vancouver

Josh Morrissey couldn’t have scripted a better return to the Winnipeg Jets lineup.

The veteran defenceman — sidelined by an injury during the first period of his Olympic appearance last month — became the franchise’s all-time leading point-getter among blueliners when he scored 1:49 into overtime on Saturday night, giving his team a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over the Vancouver Canucks.

Morrissey first matched former blue-line partner Dustin Byfuglien by helping set up Gabe Vilardi’s slick game-tying goal with 4:48 left in regulation. He then claimed the record outright when his shot during the three-on-three session deflected off Canucks defenceman Filip Hronek and beat goaltender Kevin Lankinen.

Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck stopped Canucks sniper Elias Pettersson on a breakaway only seconds earlier.

“It is pretty special. I think about (Byfuglien) and what he meant to me when I came into the league with his mentorship and friendship and I learned so much from him, getting to play my first 50 games in the league beside him,” said Morrissey.

“I’m not sure I would have thought at the time that was attainable, but I have just been fortunate to play with so many great players. When you are passing the puck through the years to (Mark) Scheifele and KC (Kyle Connor) and Wheels (Blake Wheeler), all the different players that have been here, you get rewarded on the scoresheet.”

Morrissey, 30, got emotional earlier this week discussing a string of unfortunate recent events surrounding his hockey career — missing the 4 Nations Face-Off final due to illness, getting knocked out of the “Manitoba Miracle” Game 7 against St. Louis with injury, returning in the next round against Dallas and getting hurt again and then the misfortune in Milan.

However, the Calgary product — whose father and mentor, Tom, died in 2021 following a courageous battle with cancer — said he continues to focus on gratitude rather than worry about what could have or should have been.

The Jets are grateful to have Morrissey back as they mount a late-season push for a playoff spot.

“What a great way to get the record, in a game like that,” said Jets head coach Scott Arniel. “Obviously, when you’re missing your top defencemen, it puts a lot of strain in a lot of different areas. He’s a difference-maker when he’s out there.”

The Jets didn’t exactly ease Morrissey into the lineup as he played in a game for the first time since Feb. 12 against Czechia. Morrissey led all defencemen with 24:27 of ice time and had five shots on goal.

“Honestly, my legs and conditioning, everything felt really good,” he said. “The guys are playing such great hockey right now, and I didn’t want to come in and screw it up. We tilted the ice pretty well, and it was a good game by us.”

Winnipeg has collected points in all six games since the Olympic break (4-0-2) and have just four regulation losses over the last 20 games (11-4-5). The win over Vancouver pulled them to within five points of the final Western Conference wildcard playoff spot, currently held by Seattle. The Kraken were hosting the Ottawa Senators later Saturday night.

The Jets are now 26-26-10, while the Canucks remain last in the NHL standings with a record of 19-36-8.

SURGING SCHEIFELE: Scheifele is having a heck of a homestand.

The team’s top centre scored his 30th goal of the year with 12 seconds left in the second period Saturday night to level the score at 1-1. He then had the primary assists on both the game-tying and game-winning goals, giving him eight points in the three games this week at the downtown rink.

Scheifele is now up to 78 on the year, which trails only five players — Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Nikita Kucherov, Leon Draisaitl and Macklin Celebrini — in that department.

A reminder: He wasn’t deemed good enough to crack the Canadian Olympic team, which probably could have used a little more offence in the 2-1 gold medal overtime loss to Hellebuyck and the Americans.

Scheifele, who turns 33 next week, set a career-high with 87 points last season. He’s on pace to not only smash that this year, but to eclipse the 100-point mark, too.

VILARDI’S LAMENT

There is no bigger critic of Vilardi than the man himself, and he was pretty frank earlier this week discussing how he needs to be better for his team. This, despite scoring twice in the first four games coming out of the Olympic break.

His goal against the Canucks showed what he’s best at: Creating time and space in close quarters. Vilardi took a net-front pass from Scheifele, then put on a sublime, puck-handling display before beating Lankinen. He’s now up to 24 goals on the year.

“That’s special. Those are special hands,” Arniel said of finally getting rewarded for relentless pressure and chances by tying the game.

“We were pounding them. Shots were coming, there were all kinds of rebounds. But when Gabe gets one-on-one with the goaltender, that’s impressive stuff.”

Vilardi, in typical fashion, wasn’t ready to take a post-game victory lap.

“I’m looked at to contribute offensively. I don’t think I’ve been doing that as much as I’d like. Even again (Saturday night), I had a lot of good chances there and I didn’t capitalize,” he said.

“It is frustrating, but at the same time we are winning, we’re getting points. So, I just have to keep working at it.”

“LET’S GO NEW GUYS”

Arniel had a sense of occasion when he started the game with forward Isak Rosen and defenceman Jacob Bryson, who were obtained late Thursday night from the Buffalo Sabres (along with two draft picks) in return for Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn.

The pair were greeted with a brief, fun welcoming chant from the crowd.

Rosen, 22, skated on a line with Jonathan Toews and fellow Swede Gus Nyquist. He had one shot on goal, one hit and played 11:22. Bryson, 27, was paired with Haydn Fleury and also registered a shot and a hit over 15:58 of ice time.

“There’s lots there,” Arniel said of the two new guys.

“Jacob is a little bit more of a veteran guy and you can throw him a little bit more into that game. I thought he was good. Him and (Fleury) did a really good job of not spending a whole lot of time in our end of the rink. Then, with Rosey there, you can see some of the skill, some of the talent.”

KEY PLAY

Morrissey’s overtime winner saved the day for the Jets, who need every point they can get right now.

Three stars

1. WPG D Josh Morrissey: 1 goal, 1 assist

2. WPG C Mark Scheifele: 1 goal, 2 assists

3. VAN G Kevin Lankinen: 32 saves

REMEMBERING TROY

The Jets held a moment of silence prior to puck drop for former 1.0 captain Troy Murray, who died of cancer early Saturday.

Murray, 63, played 914 games in the NHL, the majority with the Chicago Blackhawks. He spent parts of two seasons in Winnipeg (1991-92, 1992-93).

“A real tough one for me. We were in the World Juniors together, he was our captain,” said Arniel.

“Played here with the Jets. He’s been battling that a while. A true fighter. I got to see him there last year, at the end of the year. It’s been, for him and his family, a tough go. Sad, sad day for the hockey world. Especially being an old Jet as well.”

EXTRA, EXTRA

The Jets went 1-for-2 on the power play, while Vancouver didn’t get a chance on the man advantage. Liam Ohgren’s goal just 33 seconds into the third period, which gave the visitors a 2-1 lead, came on a delayed penalty against the Jets.

A crowd of 14,294 took in the game, which is slightly above the season average of 14,231.

The Jets will return to action on Tuesday night when they host the Anaheim Ducks in the fourth game of this eight-game homestand.

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