ANAHEIM – This was both a point lost and a point gained for the Winnipeg Jets.
As a result, the margin for error just got slimmer.
Despite building a 3-1 advantage early in the third period, the Jets were unable to hold the lead as they fell 5-4 in overtime to the Anaheim Ducks on Friday night at Honda Center after Chris Kreider scored with 12.3 seconds to go in the three-on-three session.
Kyusung Gong / The Associated Press
Anaheim Ducks defenceman Olen Zellweger, left, and Winnipeg Jets left wing Alex Iafallo battle for the puck during the second period.
“Fans certainly got their money’s worth,” said Jets head coach Scott Arniel. “Obviously, we had the two goal lead twice and gave that up. In the second there, we got a little bit into a trading chances scenario where we had some odd man rushes and didn’t execute, then they got odd man rushes the other way.
“But at the end of the day, we had some leads that we should have found a way to bring home. I mean, we stuck with it, and obviously the six on five goal was big at the end. We got a point out of it.”
It was an action-packed third period that included a late goal from Ducks forward Ryan Poehling before Kyle Connor provided the equalizer, ripping home a one-timer with goalie Connor Hellebuyck on the bench in favour of an extra attacker with 82 seconds left in regulation time.
“It was a lot of back and forth,” said Jets defenceman Elias Salomonsson. “They capitalized on us at the end there. We got one point and that’s important.”
By taking three of a possible four points coming out of the break, the Jets are now eight points out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference standings, with 24 games to go in the regular season.
The Jets, who slipped to 23-26-9, close out this three-game road trip on Sunday afternoon against Macklin Celebrini and the San Jose Sharks.
Here’s a closer look at what unfolded:
REMEMBER YOUR FIRST
Salomonsson recorded his first NHL goal (and point) just 1:27 into the third period, ripping a wrister past Lukas Dostal after taking a pass from Jets captain Adam Lowry.
“I stepped right into it. I was happy to see that one go in, it was pretty special,” said Salomonsson. “I don’t really remember much. I’ve been waiting a long time for that one. I have had some good looks before, but it is good to see that one go in.
“I think I am feeling better each game here. More ice time, more responsibility, and I think I’ll grow with that and get better.”
Salomonsson, who has 15 games under his belt, is playing with poise and continues to show he can handle top-4 minutes, thanks to his mobility and smarts.
He had 17:45 of ice time on Friday, finishing with four shots on goal and five shot attempts.
“He shoots the puck a lot,” said Arniel. “He had a chance earlier, he came down the left side and had a really good look. Just did a good job of getting down and jumping in and making that play. It was a big goal at the time.
“The kid plays with a lot of confidence, with and without the puck. That’s great to see. We need him with all our injuries.”
SEEING DOUBLE
Alex Iafallo got his team on the board by taking a cross-ice pass from Cole Perfetti and unloading a quick wrister that changed direction off the stick of a Ducks player.
The goal for Iafallo was his 10th of the season, giving him double digits in goals for the eighth consecutive season.
The only time Iafallo didn’t reach the mark was in 2017-18, when he had nine as a rookie with the Los Angeles Kings after signing as an undrafted college free agent following his senior season with the University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs.
Kyusung Gong / The Associated Press
Winnipeg Jets centre Morgan Barron, right, tries to keep the puck away from Anaheim Ducks defenceman Jackson LaCombe during the second period.
Dating back to his time in the Pacific Division with the Kings, Iafallo has a knack for producing offence against the Ducks, as he’s now scored eight times against them in 34 games.
The only team Iafallo has scored more against is the Vegas Golden Knights, with nine goals in 36 games.
THE KEY PLAY
Kreider finished off a pass from Becket Sennecke for the overtime winner in the waning moments of the three-on-three session.
THE THREE STARS
Becket Sennecke, Ducks: Assisted on three goals, including the OT winner.
Chris Kreider, Ducks: Scored the game-winner.
Cole Perfetti, Jets: Chipped in a pair of assists, had four shots on goal.
THE INJURY
The Jets lost versatile forward Vladislav Namestnikov to an apparent leg injury just 1:38 into the second period.
Namestnikov got tangled up with Adam Lowry in the neutral zone after the Jets captain had been tripped by the Ducks’ Poehling.
Namestnikov, who was limited to six shifts and 3:51 of ice time, wasn’t putting much weight on his leg as he went down the tunnel for further evaluation.
He didn’t return to the game, leaving the Jets to play with 11 forwards for the bulk of the final two periods and overtime.
Arniel didn’t have an update after the game, saying he hoped to know more on Saturday.
Mark Scheifele seemed to be favouring his right leg after his final shift of overtime, though Arniel was still waiting for a health update on the Jets top centre as well.
Namestnikov seems doubtful to play on Sunday, which opens the door for winger Walker Duehr to make his Jets debut.
Duehr has 12 goals and 26 points in 39 games with the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League this season and has 92 NHL games on his resume.
THE MILESTONE
Kyusung Gong / The Associated Press
Anaheim Ducks’ Jansen Harkins, centre, and Winnipeg Jets defenceman Logan Stanley, right, vie for the puck during the first period, Friday, in Anaheim.
Friday marked the 900th NHL game for Jets forward Gustav Nyquist.
Originally chosen by the Detroit Red Wings in the fourth round of the 2008 NHL Draft, Nyquist has suited up for six franchises and has 209 goals and 540 points.
“I knew it was coming up but I didn’t know it was (Friday),” said Nyquist. “It’s a fun milestone, obviously. What do I think of it? That I’ve played for a little while. I’ve been fortunate to be part of this league for quite a few years now. It’s something I love doing, so it feels special.”
Nyquist wasn’t the only one who shared that sentiment.
“That’s awesome,” said DeMelo. “He’s a guy that’s been around and played on a lot of different teams. He’s a savvy veteran. A guy that’s seen it all. Whenever a guy gets to a milestone like that and is getting close to 1,000 (games), you look at the body of work and how he carries himself and how he takes care of himself. He’s been a great presence in this room. I’m really happy for him.”
Arniel showed his appreciation for Nyquist’s journey following the morning skate.
“We’ve talked about a few veteran guys that are hitting big numbers with our team,” said Arniel. “You’ve got to respect them so much, their dedication to the game and what it takes to play that many games. To train all the time and stay healthy. To be in a lot of situations, with both winning and losing. Gus is a good pro. He’s a guy that certainly can play in a lot of situations and he’s proven that on different teams that he’s played on.”
EXTRA, EXTRA
Gabe Vilardi, on the power play on a beautiful shot from the slot after a nifty feed by Connor, had the other goal for the Jets.
Jets goalie Hellebuyck rejoined his teammates and made 35 saves, while Lukas Dostal had 29 saves for the Ducks.
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The Jets have now dropped nine of the past 10 games that have gone beyond regulation time, the lone exception being the overtime win over the Vancouver Canucks Wednesday.
The Jets healthy scratches were defenceman Kale Clague and Duehr. Prior to the game, the Jets returned goalie Dom DiVincentiis to the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League and placed forward Nino Niederreiter on injured reserve.
The Ducks roster includes a trio of players who spent time in the Jets’ organization, defenceman Jacob Trouba and forwards Jansen Harkins and Jeffrey Viel. Trouba scored the Ducks first goal on a seeing-eye wrister from the right point that made its way through some traffic.
It’s no surprise given the time of the year with just under a week to go before the NHL trade deadline, but the press box was packed with scouts as more than half of the 32 NHL teams were represented.
winnipegfreepress.com/kenwiebe
Ken Wiebe is a sports reporter for the Free Press, with an emphasis on the Winnipeg Jets. He has covered hockey and provided analysis in this market since 2000 for the Winnipeg Sun, The Athletic, Sportsnet.ca and TSN. Ken was a summer intern at the Free Press in 1999 and returned to the Free Press in a full-time capacity in September of 2023. Read more about Ken.
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