Three things - Ehlers scores OT winner

OTTAWA – The Winnipeg Jets started their road trip with a 2-1 overtime win over the Ottawa Senators this afternoon. Nikolaj Ehlers scored the winner with 46 seconds left in the extra period. Mason Appleton scored for the second straight game for Winnipeg, who improved to 30-10-4. Connor Hellebuyck was his usual steady self with 34 saves. It was the 34th straight game the Jets allowed three goals or fewer and the 14th straight game they allowed two goals or fewer. The Jets will travel to Boston to face the Bruins on Monday.

ELECTRIC EHLERS

The Danish forward said his legs felt best in the third period and they must have felt great in overtime. Ehlers wound up just behind the Jets blueline and went untouched through the neutral zone, slid the puck under Jacob Chychrun’s stick and backhanded a shot stick side past Joonas Korpisalo.  

“Unfortunately, we see in practice against us as defencemen all the time,” said Brendan Dillon.

“He’s a special player, makes special plays like that.”

GRITTY WIN

Since they have been on this run of success, the Jets have mentioned numerous times that they are going to get the opponents “A” game. Head coach Rick Bowness complimented the Sens saying they made it really hard to get through the neutral zone and it took his team awhile to get going.

“I thought we played better in the third. I thought we got our legs going again. Listen, give them credit, but give us credit for finding a way to win the game, even though I would say we weren’t at our best,” said Bowness.

“Helle is going to make a timely save, and Nik is going to get that timely goal. So, we get the two points and move on.”

HELLEBUYCK DOES IT AGAIN

The Sens had their best chances to win the hockey game in the third period with four really good scoring chances and Hellebuyck kept them off the scoreboard pushing the game to OT. Hellebuyck was also outstanding in the second period when Ottawa's power play was clicking and was a big reason why the Sens went 0-for-4 with the man advantage. In fact, Hellebuyck has helped the Jets PK go 18-for-19 over their past eight games. Per NHL Stats, Hellebuyck allowed two or fewer goals against for his 10th consecutive contest, his second such run in 2023-24 (also 10 GP from Nov. 17 – Dec. 16). He became the ninth different goaltender in NHL history to post multiple double-digit streaks with two or fewer goals against in a single season and just the third in the modern era (since 1943-44), joining Marc-Andre Fleury (2007-08 w/ PIT) and Harry Lumley (1953-54 w/ TOR).