Recap: Late Goals Cost Ducks in Loss to Jets

Trevor Zegras and Sonny Milano posted multi-point efforts but two late goals earned the Winnipeg Jets a 4-3 win over the Ducks tonight at Honda Center.
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"Overall, for 58 minutes, that was probably the best game we've played," head coach Dallas Eakins said. "But the game is 60 minutes, so it's unacceptable."
The Ducks led by a goal with under two minutes to play, seemingly headed for the club's third win of the season, but again could not hold a late lead as the Jets scored twice in 19 seconds to steal the victory.
"Up until that last two minute mark, that was one of our better games we've had this season in terms of controlling the pace of the game," Zegras said. "For two and two-and-a-half periods, we were the better team. It's unacceptable. These are games we need to win.
John Gibson made 21 saves in his fifth start of the season. Zegras and Milano notched a goal and an assist each to lead Anaheim offensively. Josh Manson also scored for the Ducks.
The game concluded a three-game season series between the Ducks and Jets, all within the first 13 days of the new season, with the Jets securing four of a possible six standings points.
After a scoreless opening period, Winnipeg got on the board first with an early second-period goal. The Jets attacked the Ducks defensive zone on an odd-man rush, with Pierre Luc-Dubois setting up Evgeny Svechnikov in the slot for a quick shot that beat Gibson to the blocker side.
The opening goal marked just the second time in eight games the Ducks have not captured the night's first lead.
The Ducks wasted little time with a response as Milano and Zegras connected to level the score. With Anaheim on the forecheck, Zegras slyly took the puck from a Winnipeg defender before spotting Milano alone on the far side of the ice, zipping a pass to his linemate for the one-timer.

"I think we're pretty similar players, we kind of think the same way," Milano said of Zegras. "We definitely had some chemistry from the summer, so it's nice playing with him."
The goal represented Milano's first NHL tally since his Anaheim debut, Feb. 25, 2020 vs. Edmonton, when he became the 10th player in NHL history to score an OT goal in their first game with a new franchise.
Manson's first goal of the season gave the Ducks the lead just under two minutes into the final period. Troy Terry and Isac Lundestrom battled for a loose puck in the corner, with Lundestrom getting the puck to Manson at the point. Manson took his time to find a shooting lane before getting one he liked, firing the puck through a swarm of bodies in front and past Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck to put the Ducks ahead.

With an assist, Terry extended his point streak to a career-best five games (2-5=7).
Winnipeg refused to go quietly though, converting on another rush to reinstate the tie. Nikolaj Ehlers set up Paul Stastny in the slot, who quickly tapped a pass to Andrew Copp in the right faceoff circle where Copp lifted the puck over a lunging Gibson for his fourth goal of the season.
With the score back even, Zegras and Milano again teamed up for the go-ahead goal. With the Ducks attempting a line change, Milano raced into the offensive zone alone on the forecheck, taking the puck away from a Jets defender and suddenly spinning a no-look pass to the middle of the ice. Zegras flew off the bench, darting to the puck in the slot and snapping a wrist shot past Hellebuyck to give the Ducks a 3-2 edge.

The Ducks led for much of the third period, but two Winnipeg goals by Nikolas Ehlers just 19 seconds apart quickly zapped Anaheim's momentum and gave the visitors a shocking 4-3 win.
Ehlers scored the first following a faceoff to Gibson's right. The speedy winger won the battle for the loose puck, skating wide along the goal line and firing a sharp angle shot over Gibson's shoulder.
Seconds later, a bad bounce for the Ducks became the game-winning goal. Ehlers spun away from trouble in the slot before firing a low shot on net that deflected off Jamie Drysdale's foot and through Gibson for the difference-making tally.
"We've had a couple games this year where we've been tied or up by one, and we're looking to hold that lead," Zegras said. "It's something we're going to have to learn how to do."
"I guess they're good lessons, they just don't feel like it right now," Eakins added.
The Ducks conclude their two-game homestand Thursday against the Buffalo Sabres.