30 saves for Stevenson in Jets win over Pens

Scott Arniel said before the Jets left for this road trip that, with three games in four nights to start the season, there was a good chance he’d be getting plenty of players into the lineup.

Sure enough, Monday night brought a few changes. Nino Niederreiter was replaced by Cole Koepke, while Tyrell Bauer came out in favour of Jack St. Ivany. The Jets acquired St. Ivany from Pittsburgh in the summer as part of the trade that sent David Gustafsson to the Penguins.

And last but not least, Clay Stevenson got the start in goal, making his Jets debut. The 27-year-old made his NHL debut with the Capitals against — you guessed it — the Penguins.

The Jets scored three times in the third period and once again had to defend a one goal lead, on route to a 3-2 decision over the Penguins to take both games of their opening road trip. 

Alex Iafallo had two points (1G, 1A), Adam Lowry and Cole Perfetti scored as well for Winnipeg. Stevenson made 30 saves and made some key stops after the Winnipeg took the lead for the second time. 

“He obviously made some big big stops, right up to the end of the game there. He was real solid and confident and looked comfortable," said head coach Scott Arniel.

"It was great to see a kid come in here like that, a new organization late in training camp. He came as advertised. Really like how he was poised and he played well."

Stevenson lost his first ever start in PPG Paints Arena as a Capital, as he allowed five goals on 38 shots. After the win tonight, he said he didn't have the words to describe the feeling.

"It means a lot, that's for sure. Really wanted to be there for these guys in this moment," said Stevenson.

"Honestly I don't got much else. Other than that I was just trying to stay pretty calm, collected in the net. Yeah, it was really fun."

After a pretty quiet start, the Jets found their legs in the second half of the opening period and generated the two best scoring chances.

Gabriel Vilardi had a great opportunity from in tight, but Sergei Murashov slid across to his left and got enough of it to deny the Jets forward his first goal of the season.

The Penguins netminder came up big again a few minutes later, this time robbing Vladislav Namestnikov. Murashov lunged across with the left pad to take away what looked like a sure first goal of the campaign and keep the game scoreless.

The top line started to take over in the second period, and it came close to finally beating Murashov twice. Kyle Connor rang one off the post, and then moments later, he found Scheifele for a one-timer that went right into the Russian netminder’s glove.

At 9:27 of the second, it looked like the Penguins had opened the scoring when Ben Kindel redirected a shot past Stevenson, but the referee immediately waved it off, ruling that Kindel had made contact with the puck with a high stick. After a review, though, the call was overturned and the goal stood, giving Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead heading into the third period.

Arniel made some changes to his lines to start the final frame, Morgan Barron moved with Viggo Björck and Gabriel Vilardi, Isak Rosén with Adam Lowry and Alex Iafallo, and Brad Lambert with Namestnikov and Cole Koepke.

Goals came in bunches, with four in 4:19, it all started with Iafallo pouncing on a Rosén rebound for his first of the year.

Lowry gave the Jets their first lead of the night 2:25 later, Iafallo went hard to the net and was stopped by Murashov, Lowry skated in and put in the rebound to make it 2-1.

The Penguins tied it at two, Declan Carlile was allowed to walk right into the shot and wired a wrist shot past Stevenson.

Nine seconds later, Josh Morrissey entered the Penguins zone and immediately sent a cross ice pass to Perfetti and he one-timed home his second of the season at 9:02.

"I thought we just played a lot faster in the third. We were moving the puck. We were getting pucks, like I said, below the goal line, and we were able to get a forecheck. We were able to then create off the rush," said Lowry.

"Like you look at the third goal, the game winner, great play, great response. But make play inside the zone, and when the plays are there, our good players are going to make them, and what a finish by Fetts."

The Penguins pressed late in the third with Murashov on the bench for an extra attacker but Stevenson held the fort for his first win as a Jet. 

Stevenson's 29 saves tied Chris Mason (Oct. 8, 2010) for the fifth most by a goaltender to win in their Jets franchise debut. The netminders with more in that scenario are Laurent Brossoit (42 on Oct. 14, 2018), Daniel Berthiaume (36 on Nov. 4, 1986), Eric Comrie (35 on April 6, 2017) and Doug Soetaert (33 on Oct. 15, 1981).

The Jets will head home to start a three-game homestand starting Wednesday against the Colorado Avalanche.