In the NHL, every game counts, especially when it comes to the tight playoff race. On Monday night, the Winnipeg Jets hosted the Arizona Coyotes in a crucial matchup for both teams. The Jets, who had lost five of their last six games, needed a win to keep their playoff hopes alive, while the Coyotes were looking to extend their winning streak to three games. In the end, it was the Jets who rode their early goals to secure a much-needed victory over the Coyotes.
On Tuesday, the Winnipeg Jets earned a crucial 2-1 victory against the Arizona Coyotes with Connor Hellebuyck making 29 saves. The result ended Arizona’s four-game win streak and their eight-game point streak (6-1-2). Nikolaj Ehlers and Adam Lowry scored goals for the Jets, who had only won two of their past five games. Hellebuyck earned his 31st win in his 55th start of the season. Barrett Hayton scored for the Coyotes, and Karel Vejmelka stopped 23 shots.
Winnipeg started strong with Ehlers scoring the first goal of the game. Lowry netted a short-handed goal on a two-on-one with Morgan Barron. The Jets led 2-0 after the first period and 2-1 following the second. Hayton scored his 15th goal of the season off a rebound at 11:46 to make it 2-1, extending his point streak to eight games (five goals, eight assists).
Despite being outshot 18-3 in the second period and not having a shot on goal for the final 16 minutes, 14 seconds of the frame, the Jets managed to secure the win. Winnipeg had a pair of power plays in the third period, including a four-minute man advantage, but they couldn’t extend their lead. Winnipeg ended the third period on the power play but finished 0-for-6, whereas Arizona was 0-for-3.
Coyotes leading-scorer Clayton Keller extended his point streak to nine games with an assist on Hayton’s goal. He now has seven goals and ten assists during the run and has accumulated 76 points in 71 games. Keller also tied Colorado forward Nathan MacKinnon for the second-most points since the NHL all-star break, with both accumulating 35 points during that span.
Both Winnipeg’s Kyle Connor and Blake Wheeler and Mark Scheifele struggled to score goals in their recent games. The Jets will now embark on a road trip to play against the Anaheim Ducks, while the Coyotes will finish their back-to-back games with Edmonton Oilers.
In conclusion, the Winnipeg Jets put on a fantastic display of speed, skill, and determination as they took on the Arizona Coyotes. They came out with a bang, putting two goals on the board early on and never looked back. The win breathed some life into the Jets’ playoff aspirations, and they will look to build on this impressive performance in the upcoming games. Hats off to the team for a job well done!
