Jets drop shootout decision to Flames

WINNIPEG - Mark Scheifele came within inches of being the Winnipeg Jets' hero twice in a matter of minutes on Monday night.
First, he tied the game against the Calgary Flames (4-3-1) with 1:50 to go in regulation. Then, in overtime, Kyle Connor's set-up was on his stick just outside Jacob Markstrom's crease.
Unfortunately, that puck sailed over the net. Then, in the fourth round of the shootout, Johnny Gaudreau scored the winner to give the Flames a 4-3 win.
"I probably had a little more time than I thought," said Scheifele. "It was a great pass by KC. I have to capitalize on those. That's on me. I wish I would have ended it there for sure."

Scheifele finished with a goal and an assist, one of three Jets with multi-point outings.
The Jets (5-3-1) got off to an ideal start, as they took advantage of a Noah Hanifin tripping penalty 3:46 into the first period. Kyle Connor took a cross-ice pass from Scheifele and wired his fifth of the season over Markstrom 55 seconds into the power play.
Winnipeg's second power play of the period - this time off a Mark Giordano tripping call - had the same result, off the same player's stick.

This time, it was Josh Morrissey teeing up Connor in the right circle. Instead of top corner, Connor went five-hole on Markstrom for his sixth of the season to make it 2-0 Jets.
The power play finished 2-for-4 on the night.
"Being in that shooter hole, that's my job, get the puck off quick with my stick," said Connor, who now leads the team in goals with six. "We've had great zone time with that unit right from the hop when we were put together. It's about doing the same things over and over again and operating at a high rate."
Seven seconds into the second period, the Flames cut the lead in half. Chris Tanev's attempted dump in from his own blue line took a wicked bounce in front of Hellebuyck and hopped over the Jets goaltender's right pad to make it 2-1.
"It didn't affect Connor. He was outstanding after that," said head coach Paul Maurice of Hellebuyck, who finished with 25 saves.
"That was an absolute fluke. It's not a bad goal or a bad break. It's a fluke. It's one of those ones you rarely see, expect every goalie has one of those."

The Jets had chances to extend the lead early in the third, but Markstrom's glove and the post denied two high-quality chances from Scheifele. Then, with 13:06 to go in the third, Johnny Gaudreau tapped home a back-door pass from Jusso Valimaki to pull Calgary even.
Gaudreau has at least a point in all eight games for the Flames this season.
"That's something we talk about. Don't let the Gaudreau line come through the neutral zone with speed. Don't let Lindholm come through the neutral zone with speed," said Adam Lowry, who had his six-game point streak snapped in the loss.
"I'd assume they'd say the same thing about our forwards," said Lowry.
"There are areas of your game that you can clean up. They have highly skilled players that are going to generate their chances."

Andrew Mangiapane gave the visitors their first lead of the game with 6:15 left in regulation. He corralled the loose puck, the result of a Hellebuyck save off Hanifin in tight, and swept it in for his first of the campaign.
While the shots on goal finished 12-12 in the final 20 minutes, Calgary held the edge in high-danger chances, 8-2. The Mangiapane goal came at the end of a strong push from the Flames in the third period.
"We suffered a 10 minutes in there that were tough," said Maurice. "They were on us real good. We had a difficult time moving the puck and sorting some of the D-zone out. But we settled after that."
Maurice pulled Hellebuyck for an extra attacker with over two minutes left in the final period, which set the stage for Scheifele's heroics. Just as Neal Pionk released a wrist shot from the point, Scheifele hopped in front of Markstrom and tipped it through the Flames goaltender.
The shootout loss left a bitter taste in the mouths of the Jets, who are right back at it on Tuesday night for the second of four consecutive games against the Flames.
"We have to be better. We have to stick to our game," said Scheifele. "We can't sit back, we have to keep being aggressive. We'll learn from tonight and we'll get right back at it tomorrow."