Three things - Jets comeback to beat Hawks

WINNIPEG – The Winnipeg Jets faced a Chicago Blackhawks team without Connor Bedard, Seth Jones and Nick Foligno tonight at Canada Life Centre tonight. The Hawks played hard, and it took a huge effort in the third period to allow the Jets to overcome a 1-0 deficit and turn it into a 2-1 win. The Jets have won a franchise record eight straight games. Gabe Vilardi and Nikolaj Ehlers scored for Winnipeg and Laurent Brossoit won his fourth straight start. The Jets return to action on Saturday when they host the Philadelphia Flyers.

NOT THIS TIME PETR

The last time the Jets played the Blackhawks, Petr Mrazek was named the game’s first star after he made 37 saves in the 2-1 Chicago OT win. Tonight, it looked like it was going to be a repeat performance for Mrazek.  He held the fort until Connor Murphy wired a shot past a screened Brossoit t the 4:19 mark of the second for a 1-0 Chicago lead. In the third, Mrazek made a huge stop on Namestnikov with just over five minutes left. Winnipeg finally solved the Hawks goaltender off some nice work by Adam Lowry on the boards before he got the puck to Vilardi, and he tied the contest at 16:31.

EHLERS THE HERO

Ehlers scored the game winner 2:24 after Vilardi tied the contest and sent the fans at Canada Life Centre into a frenzy. Ehlers sits two goals back of Kyle Connor for the team lead with his 15^th goal of the season and he also extended his point streak to six games (4G, 3A), which is a season high. He also led the way with five shots on goal.

“It just felt like every shot, he (Mrazek) was able to just pick it off. He was fantastic tonight. So was LB, obviously,” said Ehlers.

“When you keep shooting and you keep shooting and it’s not going in, there’s some frustration that kicks in at some point. But the key point and what you saw tonight, is that at some point, it’s going to go in.”

LOST SCHEIFELE AGAIN

For the second straight game, the Jets lost their top centre Mark Scheifele. Tuesday he was hit by a puck in the third period and did not return. Tonight, he sustained a lower body injury at the start of the second frame and was lost for the night. The loss of their leading scorer caused the Jets to struggle in for the remainder of the period as they generated just six shots. Jets head coach Rick Bowness said Scheifele will be re-evaluated tomorrow.