Winnipeg 4, Columbus 3
When: 8:00 PM ET, Friday, March 25, 2022
Where: Canada Life Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Referees:
Gord Dwyer, Kelly Sutherland
Linesmen:
Devin Berg, Ryan Daisy
Attendance:
13475
By Field Level Media
Nikolaj Ehlers' breakaway goal 21 seconds into overtime gave the Winnipeg Jets a 4-3 victory over the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday.
A big save from Jets goalie Eric Comrie set up a breakaway for Ehlers, and the forward made no mistake for his 20th goal of the season. Six of those goals have come over Ehlers' past seven games.
The win brought the Jets within three points of the Dallas Stars in the congested race for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.
Winnipeg is 7-3-0 in its past 10 games.
The Jets thought they had the game clinched in regulation on an empty-net goal with 20 seconds remaining, except the goal was waved off due to a slashing penalty on Josh Morrissey earlier in the play. Oliver Bjorkstrand scored just six seconds into the Blue Jackets' ensuing power play, equalizing the score and forcing overtime.
Kyle Connor and Dominic Toninato each had a goal and an assist for Winnipeg, and Morrissey scored the Jets' other goal. Connor has 20 points (eight goals, 12 assists) during a 10-game point streak, his career high.
Comrie stopped 33 of 36 shots. The Jets' backup goalie has an impressive 8-2-1 record and a .920 save percentage this season.
Adam Boqvist and Brendan Gaunce also scored for the Blue Jackets, who are 1-2-1 in their past four outings.
Columbus goaltender Elvis Merzlikins stopped 29 of 33 shots.
Toninato produced the first multi-point game of his five NHL seasons. The forward ended a 13-game points drought with his tip-in goal at 7:14 of the first period.
Both teams scored during a Columbus power play later in the frame. After Connor's short-handed marker at 12:30, Boqvist responded with a goal 31 seconds later to salvage something for the Blue Jackets with the man advantage.
Gaunce tied the game 2-2 at 3:22 of the second period. Morrissey's power-play goal with 31 seconds left in the middle frame put the Jets back on top.
An upper-body injury forced Winnipeg's Jansen Harkins out of the game. Harkins left the ice after sustaining an injury in the first period, then briefly returned for another minute of play in the second frame before being ruled out of action.
--Field Level Media
Top Game Performances
| Columbus |
|
Winnipeg |
|
Oliver Bjorkstrand 1 |
Points |
Kyle Connor 2 |
|
Oliver Bjorkstrand 1 |
Goals |
Kyle Connor 1 |
|
Emil Bemstrom 1 |
Assists |
Kyle Connor 1 |
|
Oliver Bjorkstrand 1 |
Power Play Goals |
Josh Morrissey 1 |
|
N/A |
Short Handed Goals |
Kyle Connor 1 |
|
Elvis Merzlikins .879 |
Save Percentage |
Eric Comrie .917 |
|
Elvis Merzlikins 29 |
Saves |
Eric Comrie 33 |
Team Stats Summary
| Team |
Shots |
Goals |
Power Play |
Penalty Kill |
Penalty Mins |
Face Offs Won |
| Columbus
|
36 |
3 |
2-2 |
1-2 |
6 |
25 |
| Winnipeg
|
33 |
4 |
1-2 |
0-2 |
6 |
32 |
Upcoming Games
-
Winnipeg will play their next game at home against Arizona. The Jets have a W/L % of .467 after a win and .472 after a loss.
-
Columbus will play their next game on the road against Minnesota. The Blue Jackets have a W/L % of .438 after a win and .545 after a loss.
For more information, contact us