Jets drop back-and-forth affair against Golden Knights

WINNIPEG -It was everything a clash between two of the Western Conference's top teams should be, with back-and-forth action, a hat trick, big saves, and a roller-coaster ride of emotion.
Unfortunately for the Winnipeg Jets (18-9-1), they came up on the wrong side of a 6-5 score against the Vegas Golden Knights. It's just the second time this season the Jets have lost consecutive games in regulation.
"They're a good hockey club. That was a hell of a hockey game," said Jets head coach Rick Bowness. "It could have gone either way. We battled hard tonight. We showed we can certainly play with them and with the best teams in the league and we're going to continue to stay in that fight."
The Jets stayed in the fight all night, erasing deficits of 2-1 and 3-2, before seeing a 4-3 third period lead evaporate thanks to two Jonathan Marchessault power play goals in the second half of the final frame. William Karlsson added an empty netter, so when Mark Scheifele's third of the night came with 1.7 seconds left - it was too late.
"We scored one and let off the gas pedal a little bit and then gave them a little bit of life," said Scheifele, who now has six hat tricks in his career. "It was kind of one of those games that was kind of back and forth and we just kind of needed to stick with our game and not get away from it and even the shift (in momentum)."

The Jets got the game's first goal, as Scheifele showed some incredible skill to get a stick on a Josh Morrissey point shot as he was getting checked by Daniil Miromanov in the slot. The goal, Scheifele's 16th of the season, came 9:22 into the first, with assists going to Morrissey and Blake Wheeler.
Miromanov got his revenge 2:08 later though, as his long range wrister from the top of the right circle beat Connor Hellebuyck on the stick side to make it 1-1, and notch his first career NHL goal in the process.
Vegas (21-9-1) then took the lead with 1.6 seconds remaining in the first, when Mark Stone swept home a rebound - off a Nicolas Hague slapshot from the right point - to give the Golden Knights a 2-1 lead.
"We kind of blew coverage on that one," said Bowness. "But again, you move on and you get ready for the next shift, the next period. It's unfortunate we gave up that late goal in the first but we didn't let it hinder us."
Morgan Barron pulled the Jets even with 8:44 left in the second. Dylan Samberg used Adam Lowry as a screen and sent a wrist shot toward the Vegas net, and when Adin Hill kicked out a rebound, Barron banged the first one off the post, then lifted the second into the top corner to make it 2-2.

When the visitors went back in front on Stone's second of the game at 15:34 of the second, the Jets rallied once again. This time, the response only took 39 seconds. Sam Gagner got a stick on Brenden Dillon wrist shot, and the puck floated by Hill to make it 3-3. It was Gagner's first goal since October 24. Kevin Stenlund, making his Jets debut after a recall earlier in the day, picked up the secondary assist for his first point with the club.
"We were trying to get pucks low to high and get to the net. That was my mindset," said Gagner. "I was able to get a stick on it, it was a great shot from Dilly. It's certainly nice to contribute, obviously you'd rather it come in a win, but just keep building on it."
A power play to start the third gave the Jets a chance to grab the lead, and that's exactly what they did. Scheifele absolutely teed off on a cross-ice pass from Kyle Connor and ripped it past Hill for his second of the night, and a 4-3 Jets lead.
The visitors used a power play of their own later in the final frame to tie the game once again. Jonathan Marchessault's wrister from the left circle got past Hellebuyck with 10:22 left in regulation, giving Marchessault his 13th goal of the campaign.

"I think we could have done a better job when we scored, and, you know, kept going at them, kept getting the puck behind their D, getting on their sticks and frustrate them, get some O-zone time and get some more chances that way," Scheifele said, describing his team's response to all the momentum swings. "That's the one thing that kind of stands out."
Winnipeg had a chance to snag the lead back, but Hill turned away four quality scoring chances to keep the game tied. Vegas made the Jets pay, as when Neal Pionk was called for a high-stick with 3:09 remaining, Marchessault pounded a one-timer into the top corner to give the Golden Knights the lead for good.
Karlsson's empty netter made it 6-4 with 1:24 left, so when Scheifele banged home his hat trick and 18th goal of the season, it was too little too late.
Now the Jets have to respond in the home stand finale against Nashville on Thursday.
"I thought we competed hard, showed a lot of heart," said Gagner. "We passed up some shots and then our puck management kind of got away on us. It allowed them to find some life. That's certainly an area we can clean up and get better for Nashville.