Mar 12, 2014; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward
Chris Higgins(20) scores past Winnipeg Jets goalie
Ondrej Pavelec(31) during the shootout period at MTS Centre. Vancouver wins 3-2 overtime. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Fedyck-USA TODAY Sports
Tonight’s game between the Winnipeg Jets and the Vancouver Canucks was a crucial one for both sides. With each team on losing streaks, neither team would give this one away easily. Ondrej Pavelec got the start against former Manitoba Moose goalie, Eddie Lack.
The game started off with a fight between Tom Sestito and Anthony Peluso just 2:25 into the opening frame. Vancouver would have the better scoring chances in this period but Ondrej Pavelec made 14 saves to keep the game at 0-0. Winnipeg was out played and took many penalties, giving the Canucks three power plays in the first. Bryan Little took a slashing penalty at 6:54 when Alex Burrows was one-on-one with Pavelec. Late in the third period Vancouver was called for too many men giving Winnipeg their second power play of the period, but the Jets were still unable to score. With this many penalties in a period, the game lacked flow through the first two periods.
Winnipeg opened up the scoring in the second period on a goal from Andrew Ladd, his 18th of the year, assisted by Bryan Little and Jacob Trouba. Despite being outshot, Winnipeg was in the lead. The Canucks were starting to get frustrated and you could tell it in Ryan Kesler‘s face. While skating up ice, Kesler was hit on a brutal play knee to knee by Jim Slater and Slater was off to the box. Alex Burrow’s got the Canucks on the board at 15:38, it was his first of the season and the game was now 1-1. With players like Burrows having such a bad season scoring, no wonder the Canucks are in the position they are.
The Jets would regain the lead shortly into the third. Ollie Jokinen fed Michael Frolik a beautiful pass and Winnipeg was now on top 2-1. A penalty shot was awarded to Evander Kane when he was taken down on a breakaway by Chris Tanev. Kane missed the net, and the Jets could not get the two goal lead they wanted. Alex Burrows would not be stopped tonight and he would tie the game up at 11:17, on his second goal of the night for Vancouver. The pace picked up while both teams wanted to score the goal, but not give one up. Sixty minutes would not solve anything between these two teams, so we headed to overtime. Winnipeg out shot Vancouver, 16-5 in the third.
Five minutes of overtime wasn’t enough as these two squads were headed to a shoot out. It wasn’t until the fifth shooter, Vancouver’s Chris Higgins until there was a goal. This would prove to be a winner and Vancouver would snap their 7 game road losing streak on a night where Henrik Sedin played in his 1000th game. At 4 losses in a row now for Winnipeg, it could be fatal for our playoff hopes. The Canucks are back at home Friday vs. Washington. Winnipeg will get a chance to snap their streak Friday when the New York Rangers visit.
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