Jets lose 2-1 in Heritage Classic

WINNIPEG – A fresh start on the outdoor stage — the Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic gave the Winnipeg Jets an opportunity to put recent distractions behind them and focus on hockey in a unique atmosphere in front of their fans at Princess Auto Stadium.

But the Jets dropped their fifth game in a row after a 2-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens at the Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic on Sunday night.

Jacob Fowler (21 years, 335 days), who became the youngest goaltender ever to play in an outdoor game made 34 saves for the Canadiens. Isak Rosén scored the lone goal for the Jets who are now 0-3-2 in their last five, Stuart Skinner made 19 saves.

Winnipeg has scored more than two goals only once during the winless skid.

"With our forwards, it can't be perimeter stuff. You have to get inside, and goaltending is too good in this league. And if they see pucks, they're going to stop pucks," said Scott Arniel.

"It's hard work, and you might get smacked in the nose, but that's where the goals get scored. So, that's part of what you have to do in this league."

The Jets’ best chance in the opening 10 minutes came off the stick of Cole Perfetti, who found space in the slot but was denied by Jacob Fowler.

Winnipeg had a chance to break the ice on the power play, looking to end a four-game drought with the man advantage. Mark Scheifele found a wide-open Perfetti from behind the net, but Fowler again came up with the stop in tight. The Jets generated five shots on the power play and outshot Montreal 10-8 in a scoreless opening period.

The Canadiens opened the scoring at the 7:39 mark of the second period, after some o-zone time, Cole Caufield skated along the Jets blueline, passed to Noah Dobson along the boards and he sent a seam pass right on the stick of Lane Hutson for the easy tap-in goal.

Caufield would get his second assist of the period at 11:04, Kaiden Guhle wristed a shot from the point and it found its way past a screened Stuart Skinner for a 2-0 Canadiens lead.

Winnipeg had another opportunity to get on the board during its third power play of the night, but Canadiens goaltender Jacob Fowler came up with a terrific save, lunging across the crease to deny Mark Scheifele’s one-timer.

Scheifele came close again with just over six minutes remaining, firing a shot toward the top corner, only to be turned aside by Fowler’s glove.

The Jets finally broke through at 15:24 when Isak Rosén one-timed a Gabriel Vilardi pass over Fowler’s glove to cut Montreal’s lead in half.

With 1:32 left, Josh Anderson took a tripping penalty giving Winnipeg their fourth power play of the night but they could not get another past Fowler. The Jets finished 0-for-4 with the man advantage. 

Dawson Mercer was thrown right into the fire after being acquired from New Jersey on Friday. He played on the third line with Adam Lowry and Isak Rosén, he ended up playing 15:22, had two shots on goal and a blocked shot in his Jets debut.

The Jets will take Monday off, and then will return to Canada Life Centre Tuesday against the Florida Panthers.