Winnipeg Jets Win Crazy Twelve-Goal Game vs NJ Devils
The Winnipeg Jets hosted the New Jersey Devils at the Canada Life Centre yesterday evening. Winnipeg was coming into this game struggling as they have only won one of their last seven games, while New Jersey played and lost the night before in Minnesota against the Wild.
The Jets who have struggled to score goals during their woes, started this game extremely well as they scored three goals in the opening eight minutes of the contest courtesy of Mark Scheifle, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Kristian Vesalainen. With an early three-goal lead, all seemed to be going well for the Jets.
The Devils then struck back with two goals in the final eleven minutes of the first period, including a Jack Hughes goal with one minute left in the opening frame to put them within of the lead and gave them momentum going into the second.
New Jersey then stunned Winnipeg with two quick goals in the first minute and 16 seconds of the second period to complete the comeback and take a 4-3 lead.
The Winnipeg Jets blew an early three-goal lead but then scored five unanswered to beat the Devils 8-4
Nikolaj Ehlers was able to tie the game in the middle of the second on a great two-on-one rush with Pierre-Luc Dubois.
Under five minutes later, the Jets reclaimed the lead on a redirection goal from Josh Morrissey. The Jets were able to cause havoc in the offensive zone with a great forecheck and cause a turnover. The puck was then passed to Blake Wheeler who was at the point and he fired a shot at the net. Morrissey was in the slot and deflected the shot, the deflection caught the Devils’ netminder by surprise and the Jets were back in the lead.
Then, the Jets had a powerplay in the dying moments of the second and the Devils cleared the puck with under 20 seconds remaining in the period. Scheifele picked up the puck in his defensive zone with 12 seconds remaining with a full head of steam. Scheifele then carried the puck wide through the neutral zone and started to cut to the middle of the offensive zone. He then released a great wrist shot through the Devils’ defenseman’s legs that beat Bernier’s blocker side to give the Jets a 6-4 lead heading into the third.
Scheifele was able to complete the hat trick in the middle of the third period on a beautiful three-on-two play with Wheeler and Kyle Connor. Upon entering the puck in the middle of the offensive zone, Connor dropped the puck to Wheeler who passed it to Scheifele who was near the top of the circle. Scheifele then one-timed the puck into the back of the net to extend the Jets’ lead to 7-4 and give him his third goal of the night.
Adam Lowry with 3:28 remaining in regulation by deflecting Logan Stanley’s point shot to put the Jets ahead by four goals.
Lowry’s goal was the final goal of the game as the Jets beat the Devils 8-4 in this crazy twelve-goal game.
3 Winners
Mark Scheifele: 3 goals, 1 assist
Blake Wheeler: 3 assists
Kristian Vesalainen: 1 goal, 1 assist
The Jets will be back in action tomorrow night for their third game of this four-game homestand as they faceoff against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
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