Morrissey scores winner in return, Jets rally to defeat Canucks in OT

WINNIPEG — Josh Morrissey scored the game-winner 1:49 into overtime and the Winnipeg Jets rallied a 3-2 victory against the Vancouver Canucks at Canada Life Centre on Saturday.

“Since the (Olympic) break the guys have been playing fantastic hockey, scratching and clawing while never looking fazed,” Morrissey said. “They (Vancouver) got that early one on us and I thought we did a really good job of not deviating from our game.”

Mark Scheifele's cross-ice pass found Morrissey, whose slap shot from the right dot deflected in off of Vancouver defenseman Filip Hronek in front.

Morrissey returned to the lineup after missing the past five games. He suffered an upper-body injury during Team Canada's first game against Team Czechia at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

“Honestly, my legs and conditioning, everything felt really good,” Morrissey said in his first NHL game since Feb. 4. “I wasn't able to have an actual practice with the guys because of the schedule, and all the optional [skates] and days off. So it's kind of right out of the bag skate drills into the game. But I thought maybe halfway through the first, or as the first went on, I started to feel better. And, as I said, like the guys are playing such great hockey right now, and I didn't want to come in and screw it up, so it was just, yeah, they're playing awesome. And we tilted the ice pretty well, and it was a good game by us.”

“To come back and have to get into a game like that — we wanted to ease him in, but as you saw, his minutes (24:27) got up there again,” Winnipeg coach Scott Arniel said of Morrissey. “Having him back, it’s great to have. Obviously, when you’re missing your top defenseman, it puts a lot of strain in a lot of different areas. On the road trip, with all of those overtimes and not having him — he’s a difference maker when he’s out there.”

The defenseman also had an assist, Scheifele tallied a goal and two assists, and Connor Hellebuyck made 21 saves for the Jets (26-26-10), who have points in six straight games (4-0-2).

“What does it say about (Morrissey)? He’s elite,” Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi said. “He’s an elite player. He was part of Team Canada for a reason. They missed him out there, obviously. It just shows how big of a difference maker he is for us. I’m not sure what his minutes were, but I’d imagine they were in the high 20s again. He’s one of the top-tier defensemen in the League.”

Linus Karlsson had a goal and an assist, Teddy Blueger had two assists, and Kevin Lankinen made 32 saves for the Canucks (19-36-8), who are (1-5-3) in their past nine games.

“(Lankinen’s performance) was unbelievable. He kept us in the game,” Karlsson said. “Unfortunately, we couldn't get the win for him, but I really liked how he fought and how he played today. He was great.”

Karlsson made it 1-0 Canucks at 7:28 of the first period, taking a drop pass from Max Sasson as they entered the Winnipeg zone and scoring with a wrist shot from the right face-off dot.

“I liked the effort — we fought for each other,” Karlsson said. “(Winnipeg) probably had most of the game, but I think we stood up well. We had the lead long into the third and unfortunately we couldn't get the win.”

Scheifele tied it 1-1 at 19:48 of the second period. Jonathan Toews won the face-off, and Scheifele rolled to the high slot and beat Lankinen’s glove with a wrist shot.

“That's a heavy team, heavy up the middle,” Vancouver coach Adam Foote said. “It’s a team you almost don't want to play on a back-to-back in their home barn because they do play dots and boards in our end, and grind you out and try to wear you down. I thought [Lankinen] had a really good game. You know, he kept us in there.”

The Canucks completed a back-to-back on the road following a 6-3 win in Chicago on Friday.

Liam Ohgren scored 33 seconds into the third period to push it 2-1 Canucks, when his shot from above the hashmarks deflected off the stick of Toews and under Hellebuyck.

“I just came from the bench and I think [Karlsson and Blueger] made a good play,” Ohgren said. “Then I just shot it. I think maybe it bounced off something.

“We've got to help (our goaltenders) a little bit more. I think they've been against a lot of pressure, so we've got to help them, but they played great these last couple games.”

Vilardi tied it 2-2 on the power play at 15:12, scoring on the backhand after deking Lankinen with a drop-step move at the edge of the crease.

“They just left me alone there,” Vilardi said. “[Scheifele] did a good job on getting that 'D' up there, and I had a lot of space. I just knew I was going to do that move.”

NOTES: Morrissey’s fifth career overtime goal ties Marc Savard and Blake Wheeler for the seventh most in Jets/Thrashers history. … Scheifele scored his 30th goal of the season, which is the fifth time he has reached the mark in his career. … Forward Isak Rosen had one shot on goal in 11:22 of ice time in his Jets debut. … Defenseman Jacob Bryson had one shot and a hit while skating 15:58 in his Jets debut. … Karlsson has four points (one goal, three assists) on a three-game point streak.