The 2024-25 Winnipeg Jets are off to the greatest start in NHL history, with arguably no win being more impressive than this one. On Tuesday evening, they went on the road into Madison Square Garden to take on the New York Rangers and picked up an emphatic 6-3 win.
There was plenty to take away from the game, which saw the Jets become the fastest team in NHL history to reach the 15-win mark.
The Jets’ top line shreds the Rangers
The Winnipeg Jets top line of Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele, and Gabriel Vilardi put together their best game of the season tonight. Connor and Scheifele each scored twice, and Vilardi scored one of his prettiest goals of the season.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)
What worked so well for this trio? When asked about it post-game, Connor had this to say about their opponent: “I think they, for lack of better words, were cheating for offence in certain areas. They were going past our defensemen at times and we were able to keep pucks in and make’em pay.”
There were multiple points in this game where this line extended an O-zone shift or got an odd-man rush due to the Rangers being a tad too aggressive in key spots. With players that have the hands and shooting talent of the Jets’ top trio, they don’t need many chances to fill the scoresheet, and that remained true on this night.
Vilardi’s highlight-reel goal came on the power play as the league’s top unit continued their red-hot start to the season. That was his seventh goal in his last nine games as he shakes off a rough start to the season and pushes his point total through the first 16 games to 14.
This top line had been outscored 9-2 at five-on-five heading into the Wednesday, Oct 30th road game against the Detroit Red Wings. Since that game, they have been one of the best lines in the entire NHL.
In their past seven games at five-on-five, the top line of Connor-Scheifele-Vilardi has outscored their opponents 9-1, they’ve controlled the high-danger chances over their opponents 27-11 and 61.97% of the expected goals.
Those are incredible numbers at even strength, without even taking the power play into account. Scott Arniel and the Jets’ coaching staff have this line clicking on all cylinders right now, and they, along with Connor Hellebuyck, are the biggest reasons for the Jets’ seven-game winning streak.
Mark Scheifele loves playing at Madison Square Garden
Mark Scheifele has made a second home in Madison Square Garden, where he continually posts strong games. He has 15 career goals in 19 career games inside MSG, and in the last three times he’s been there, he’s played incredibly. Two goals in 2022-23, a hat trick in 2023-24, and another two goals on Tuesday night in their one visit for 2024-25.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)
After the game, Scheifele was asked about playing inside this building: “It’s MSG. You gotta get up for MSG. It’s just a fun place to play; I play with some good players, made some good plays out there, you play at MSG, you gotta put on a show.”
Scheifele is now up to 21 points in 16 games so far this season, as his line continues their heater at five-on-five.
Jets continue to make history
As mentioned earlier, the Jets are the fastest team to reach the 15-win mark in NHL history. They have a +39 goal differential through just 16 games. Last season, when the Jets racked up 110 points, they finished the season with a +60 goal differential. They are first in goals (73), second in goals against (34), and currently own a six-point gap on the entire NHL.
They have built themselves quite the cushion in the Central Division, and while it’s early in the season, they have bought themselves time to figure out some eventual losses.
Despite the incredible start and all the accolades that come with that, the comment sentiment coming from the Jets locker room was that this was just another game.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)
“We know what we’re doing, but we don’t take too much stock in it,” Kyle Connor said. “It’s move on to the next one. It’s how can we improve? It’s how can we be better? That’s what’s made us successful to this point. Nobody’s satisfied. There’s still areas we can work on. We’ve won 15 here. That speaks to the leadership, not getting comfortable. There’s still a lot of season left, so that’s the focus right now.”
Up next:
The Jets will look to continue the best start in NHL history, starting on Thursday, November 14, against the Tampa Bay Lightning, who they recently defeated last week in a highly-entertaining 7-4 win.
They will then take on the Florida Panthers on Saturday in game one of a home-and-home, when the Panthers will come to Canada Life Centre on Tuesday, November 19, to complete that two-game battle.
Stay tuned to Illegalcurve.com for all your Winnipeg Jets coverage as they continue this incredible streak.
