Three things - Scheifele the OT hero

WINNIPEG – The Winnipeg Jets improved to 2-0 on the season winning their home opener 2-1 in overtime over the Chicago Blackhawks. Mark Scheifele scored both goals for the Jets, Nikolaj Ehlers, Kyle Connor and Josh Morrissey added assists. Connor Hellebuyck made 26 saves for the Jets who will host Minnesota on Sunday.

PERSISTENCE

After such an impressive performance in Edmonton on Wednesday, all eyes were watching to see if the Jets could do it all over again. Winnipeg carried the play for the majority of the opening period and Kyle Connor rang a shot off the post that would have made it 1-0. The Jets had numerous scoring chances to start the second period, but Chicago slowed things down a bit. Ryan Donato would open the scoring at with 3:08 left in the middle period beating Connor Hellebuyck to the stick side, the Blackhawks took a 1-0 lead into the third. The Jets didn’t go away in the third and finally on the 17^th shot of the period, Mark Scheifele jumped on a Nikolaj Ehlers rebound and slid a backhand past Arvid Soderblom to tie it with 1:04 left.

“I think looking at the 60 we didn’t play the way we wanted to. We started the game really well, got a lot of chances but didn’t score. Then we stopped doing the right things and they were clogging up the middle really well and we were trying to force it through,” said Ehlers.

“I think if we keep going the way we did in the first ten, the game looks a lot different but that’s also credit to them. We got some things to work on, but we stuck with it and got the two points.”

SCHEIFELE’S 300TH

After Scheifele tied the game, he went to work right away in the overtime. Winning another faceoff, Scheifele eventually would play give and go with Kyle Connor and his one-timer went over Soderblom’s glove for his 300^th career goal.

“Me and KC and JMo have played together a long time, just kind of know the feeling of what coverage is,” said Scheifele.

“Bring me back to my basketball days, the old pick-and-roll. Felt good.”

MORE FROM HELLEBUYCK

Connor Hellebuyck was coming off an elite performance in Edmonton recording his 38^th career shutout. He followed up that performance with 25 saves on 26 shots to win his seventh straight regular season start going back to last season. Hellebuyck’s best save came in the third period with Chicago leading 1-0 and Nick Foligno thought he was about to make it 2-0 but the Jets goaltender made a highlight reel glove save to keep it a one goal game.