With captain Lowry out, Scheifele showing leadership for Jets

WINNIPEG – Mark Scheifele proved once again how leaders make the difference in close games.

The Jets assistant captain scored two goals to lead Winnipeg to a comeback 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings before 14,204 fans at Canada Life Centre on Saturday afternoon.

The game before, linemate Kyle Connor scored three goals in an attempted comeback that fell just short versus the Dallas Stars.

“We pride ourselves on being those go-to guys in big moments of the game so, after the first two games, we felt good and that’s a good thing,” Scheifele said.

With the score tied 2-2 midway through the third period, Scheifele picked a Josh Morrissey pass from the point out of the air and deflected it past Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper.

“It was a good O-zone shift, I think, the defence included,” Scheifele said. “We all supported the puck well, guys in the right spot. Obviously, JMo (Morrissey) made a good shot. Just a good o-zone shift.”

Was he yelling for a pass?

“I’m not much of a talker on the ice anyway, but he’s a pretty good player,” Scheifele said. “I think he knew what he was doing.”

That was indeed Morrissey’s plan.

“They try to get traffic and Scheifele is great at connecting,” he said. “I just tried to get it through for a forward to get a stick on it and change direction as that is probably not going to go in on most goalies from the corner of the blue line. But, with a stick in front, it makes it tough, so it was a great play by him and a crazy hand-eye (coordination), a big goal for us.”

After the Kings took a 2-1 lead and were threatening to extend their lead on a power play late in the second period, Morgan Barron stole the puck as the penalty was ending, then fed a pass to Scheifele. The Winnipeg centre then raced down the ice on a partial break and his backhanded shot deflected off a defenceman past Kuemper.

“Bear (Barron) was in a good spot, kind of forcing that guy in the middle to be in a tough spot,” Scheifele said. “Obviously, we kind of got a lucky bounce. Good play by Bear there. I was the lucky one to get lucky.”

Jets coach Scott Arniel said Scheifele has stepped up with captain Adam Lowry out recovering from his surgery.

“He’s one of our leaders and he’s having to o a little bit more with (Lowry) out, with the leadership in our room,” Arniel said. “His play on the ice has been really good. He’s certainly driving some offence there.”

Scheifele also had three helpers in the previous game and now has five points after two games.

The Jets also benefited from some brilliant saves by goalie Connor Hellebuyck, who made 30 stops.

“(Hellebuyck) played unreal all night, made some big saves when we needed him to, and we needed him to today,” Morrissey said.

Alex Iafallo scored Winnipeg’s other goal.

Mikey Anderson and Adrian Kempke replied for L.A.

NOTES – Jets defenceman Haydn Fleury had to leave the game late in the second period after taking a shot on the knee … Kempke has now scored four goals and four assists in his last four games against Winnipeg … The Kings were the only team that the Jets had failed to beat last season.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Oct. 11, 2025.