The Winnipeg Jets kept to their winning ways as they pushed their winning streak to three in a row and their record to 11-1-0 on Sunday afternoon with a 7-4 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. This game had a little bit of everything, meaning there was plenty to take away from the contest.
Nikolaj Ehlers makes history
On his empty net goal to make it 6-4 for the Jets, Nikolaj Ehlers became the all-time leader in points scored for Danish-born players — an incredible milestone for the ninth overall selection in the 2014 NHL entry draft.
“Obviously I’m very proud of this,” Ehlers said post-game. “There’s Danish guys that I’ve watched growing up and Frans (Nielsen) was obviously one of them. He was an outstanding player in this league. Lucky enough I got to play with him at the World Championships in his last year. It’s a very proud moment. Very happy.”
Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)
Ehlers has had a dynamic start to the 2024-25 season, posting eight goals, nine assists, and 17 points in the first 12 games. He has taken the opportunity on the top power-play unit and run with it, along with consistently strong efforts from his line after a shaky start to the season.
Kyle Connor continues season-opening point streak
Another winger who has gotten out of the gates fast is Kyle Connor, who extended his franchise-record season-opening point streak to 12 on Sunday afternoon. An assist to Dylan Samberg, which ended up as the game-winner, gave Connor an assist for his 19th point of the season.
He left the game late in the third period after a high hit from Nikita Kucherov, but Scott Arniel cleared up his status after the game: “That was the (concussion) spotters. He’s fine. He was high-fiving everybody there at the end.”
Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)
Connor has been a huge reason that the Jets are first in the NHL in goals with 59, and the power play being first in the NHL at 44.1%. He is playing as dynamically as we have ever seen him play offensively, and to add to that, he’s adding a few stellar backchecks to his game that we have not seen in the past. Scott Arniel made sure to show his appreciation for that hard work in his post-game comments.
“I do have to give a big shout-out to KC on the shorthanded one where (Morrissey) broke his stick, how hard KC came back on that one. Helle made a big stop, but KC came the distance and we got ourselves back. Those are the second-effort things we talk about that make a difference in a game.”
The offensive talent has always been evident, maybe not to this extreme, but with the defensive acumen being shown, it’s clear that Connor has been the ultimate difference-maker for Winnipeg this season.
Logan Stanley makes an impact
Logan Stanley had his best game of the season on Sunday after a knee injury kept him out of the lineup to start the year. He scored a goal to make it 2-2 at the time, and early in the third period, changed the outcome of the game with one play.
A bone-crushing hit on Luke Glendening in the middle of the ice was followed by cheers from the Jets fans inside Canada Life Centre before Stanley found himself in a fight with Zemgus Girgensons. With that fight, the Winnipeg Jets ended up on the power play on an instigator penalty, to which Alex Iafallo scored his first goal of the season to give Winnipeg a 4-3 lead at the time.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)
A momentum-shifting play of that magnitude is what Stanley can do to remain in the lineup, as he made a significant impact on Sunday night. Arniel was asked about Stanley post-game, where he explained the impact he had.
The big thing is to be a bully,” Arniel said. “Get after the skill. Get after their players. Make them retaliate, whether it’s that penalty or to get slashed or punched or something. In that case there, we draw 17 minutes. He just has to play that game where he intimidates the opposition and people don’t want to go near his side of the ice, hopefully, and they want to maybe go somewhere else. That’s how you build that reputation and that sort of identity.”
What is goaltender interference?
Many Jets fans in the Illegal Curve post-game show chat left this game with more questions about goaltender interference than answers. So did your author.
To open the scoring, Conor Geekie jammed Connor Helelbuyck’s pad into the net, driving him back into the crease, before falling on top of Hellebyck, preventing him from making a save.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)
“We’d call that all day. We’d challenge that every time,” Arniel said on the challenge. “They made the decision. We have to live with it. We had to kill the penalty. We didn’t and we’re down 2-0. I just like the way the guys stayed in it and found a way to get ourselves back in the game.”
The Jets were able to fight through the call and claw back into this game, which has been a common theme to their season so far. While they haven’t been adept at scoring the first goal, they continue to battle in games and all but one, win the game entirely.
Dylan Samberg sets career high
Coming into this season, Dylan Samberg had three career goals in his first 156 games. He now has three goals in just 12 games to begin this season, setting a new career-high as he scored the game-winner against the Lightning.
As Samberg steps into a top-four role this year, Scott Arniel spoke to the added offensive responsibility that comes with that jump.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)
“The big thing about it, I think I’ve mentioned it a few times, that he’s playing with our top six a lot more than he was before because he had to go head-to-head with the bottom six. He knows that he has a good shot. He knows that he has to find a way to get it to the net front.”
With Samberg adding some offensive punch and Neal Pionk posting 13 points in the first 12 games, that pairing has been nothing short of fantastic so far this year.
Up next:
Riding a three-game winning streak, the Jets now look to make it four straight on Tuesday night in their first-ever game against the Utah Hockey Club. Two more Central Division opponents roll into town as the Colorado Avalanche are in Winnipeg on Thursday, and the Dallas Stars are in town on Saturday.
With the strength of competition picking up, the Jets look like a force to be reckoned with as they continue to dominate the opponents in their path.
