Back-t0-backs are not going well for the Winnipeg Jets this season.
After going 6-2 last year in the second leg of back-to-backs, the Jets fell to 0-3 in such situations for the 2024-25 campaign with a 3-2 loss in Anaheim Wednesday night.
The first period was one to forget for the Jets. They didn’t register a shot on goal until there was 8:30 remaining, by which time the Ducks had 10 shots on goal and had out-attempted the Jets 22-1.
By the time 20 minutes had been played, the Ducks had outshot Winnipeg 12-4 and had 28 shot attempts to the Jets’ 10. Having said all that, the score remained 0-0 heading to the second period.
The second period started much as the first did with Anaheim asserting control of the game, leading to the opening goal of the contest.
After a net-mouth scramble, Eric Comrie lost his goal stick and he played without it for a few seconds. As he reached to grab it, Frank Vatrano deflected a Radko Gudas point shot past Comrie to make it 1-0 at the 4:45 mark.
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Winnipeg didn’t register a shot on goal in until there was 9:36 left in the second, but that shot tied the game.
After Ross Johnston was called for a questionable roughing penalty, the Jets won the ensuing faceoff. The puck found its way to Nikolaj Ehlers who rifled a pass towards the front of the net where it hit the skate of Gabriel Vilardi, trickling into the crease where Vilardi whacked it into an open net to level the score.
Anaheim had two power plays after the Jets scored that goal but they were unable to cash in as the score remained 1-1 after two but the Ducks through 40 minutes had outshot the Jets 22-8 and out-attempted Winnipeg 50-25.
The Jets came out stronger in the third period, leading to the go-ahead goal by their top line. Kyle Connor collected the puck behind his own net and zoomed up the ice, dodging multiple defenders before stopping on a dime in the Anaheim and sliding a cross-ice pass to Mark Scheifele that Scheifele blasted past Lukas Dostal at the 4:13 mark.
Winnipeg couldn’t get to the finish line with the lead, however. Off an icing with just under five minutes left, Anaheim won the draw and got the puck back to the point where Vatrano threw the puck on goal and it took a weird bounce, winding up in the back of the net to tie the game.
The contest looked destined for overtime before disaster struck for Winnipeg in the defensive end in the final minute. Neal Pionk had the puck in the corner and as he tried to send the puck up the boards, Vatrano got a stick on it, sending the puck towards open ice near the slot. Troy Terry raced to it, outwaited Comrie and tucked it in with 25 seconds left.
The Jets did manage to get a great look before time expired as Josh Morrissey found Vilardi streaking through the Anaheim zone, but as he tried to put a deke on Dostal, the goalie knocked the puck away with a perfectly-timed poke check to secure the victory.
Winnipeg managed to outshoot the Ducks 15-9 in the third but Anaheim won the shots battle for the game 31-23. Comrie turned aside 28 shots as he picked up his fifth straight loss between the pipes while Anaheim snapped an eight game losing streak to the Jets.
The Jets now return home for their final home game before Christmas Saturday against Minnesota. The puck drops just after 6 p.m. with pregame coverage beginning at 4 p.m. on 680 CJOB.
