For the first time in a long time it was a Jets game day which saw the non-playing group hit the ice at the Hockey For All Centre this morning.
Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Free Press had the lines, D pairs and goalies as follows:
Connor-Scheifele-Vilardi
Barron-Kupari-Namestnikov
Viel-Gustafsson-Ford
Torgersson-Lucius-Reichel
Morrissey-Salomonsson
Samberg-Pionk
Stanley-Capobianco
Sautner-Stewart
Hellebuyck
Brossoit
Unlike during the regular season when a team is required to be in the city where they are scheduled to play the game the night before, during pre-season the teams usually leave in the morning of the game day. The playing group left late this morning for Edmonton where they were set to face the Oilers in the first exhibition game.
Reminder that we don’t have the Illegal Curve Post-Game Show during the pre-season but we do have 82 coming your way starting during the regular season. Be sure you’ve subscribed to our YouTube channel so you can go live with us after every single game.
The lines for the game were as follows:
Niederreiter-Perfetti-Malott
Iafallo-Lowry-Appleton
Toninato-Harkins-Jonsson-Fjallby
Zhilkin-Lambert-Chibrikov
Heinola-Schmidt
Chisholm-DeMelo
Dillon-Bauer
Delia
Milic
Puck drop in Edmonton was just after 5 PM and Alberta product Tyrel Bauer got things started with a hit (to the surprise of nobody). Just over seven minutes into the period Dominic Toninato opened the scoring on a nice breakaway opportunity.
Dominic Toninato scores the first goal of the pre-season for the Jets. #NHLJets pic.twitter.com/S03td8QZlq
— Dave Minuk (@ICdave) September 24, 2023
The kid line of Brad Lambert, Danny Zhilkin and Nikita Chibrikov had some nice chemistry to start the game which saw them get quite a few chances including this one. Pretty wild to think this is the first time Danny Zhilkin and Nikita Chibrikov have played on the same team since they were nine years old. They played on the same team in Russia from ages 4-9 and now they are on the same Jets team in the NHL all these years later.
Netminder Collin Delia had himself a solid game showing his left side won’t be an issue.
Collin Delia showing he’s got the left side covered. #NHLJets pic.twitter.com/01xLHfVLwk
— Dave Minuk (@ICdave) September 24, 2023
We also saw some VilleVision a few times in this contest.
That’s called VilleVision as Ville Heinola takes a quick scan of the ice and then fires the puck onto the stick of Nino Niederreiter. #NHLJets pic.twitter.com/nCPv3kWs4G
— Dave Minuk (@ICdave) September 24, 2023
The teams would take a 1-1 tie into the 3rd period which saw neither team find the back of the net. From there they went to overtime and then a shootout when Cole Perfetti said “that’s it. Back to Winnipeg” with this silky smooth move.
Wash those gloves Fetts ? pic.twitter.com/jPYrEhJgek
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) September 25, 2023
The playing team wins it 2-1 to kick off the pre-season with a win in exhibition game 1.
The non-playing group from today becomes the playing group as the Oilers fly to Winnipeg on Monday for a re-match with the Jets. Of course both teams will look completely different for game 2. Puck drop is at 7 PM CDT.
