WINNIPEG – The Winnipeg Jets saw their perfect start to the season come to an end at the hands of the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs losing 6-4 on Monday night. The Jets saw their winning streak end at 16 games going back to last season and just missed out on tying Pittsburgh's record of 17. Winnipeg is now winless in its past six games against Toronto. Kyle Connor had a four-point night and sits one point away from 500. Mark Scheifele (1G, 1A and Josh Morrissey (3A) had multi-point nights as well and Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves and lost for the first time this season. The Jets will travel to Detroit to start a two-game road trip on Wednesday.
SLOW START
For the fifth consecutive game, the Jets gave up the game’s first goal. Toronto got an early power play and while they didn’t score, it gave them a lot of momentum and they dominated the first period. The Leafs opened the scoring at 11:56 when Max Pacioretty slid a pass across the crease and John Tavares had a wide-open net to beat Connor Hellebuyck. The Leafs would add to their lead with 2:13 left in the first, William Nylander was wide open in the low slot, and he beat Hellebuyck high blocker side. Toronto outshot Winnipeg 19-6.
"It was tough game for us. Obviously got behind it, four nothing there with almost two periods to play, and felt like we did a good job of battling back," said Josh Morrissey.
"Make it 4-2, to sort of get our legs going, and then obviously, letting another one. And we never quit throughout the night and we're 8-1 for a reason."
CONNOR SHOW
Down 4-0 in the second period, the Jets stole back momentum with their lethal power play which came in ranked first in the NHL at 10-for-23 (43.5%). The power play struck at 6:19, Mark Scheifele sent a perfect seam pass across to Kyle Connor and the team’s leading goal scorer beat Anthony Stolarz short side to get Winnipeg on the board. Then on the Jets third power play of the period, Connor scored for a second time at 11:225. The 27-year-old received another perfect pass, this time from Josh Morrissey and Connor’s shot went under Stolarz to make it 4-2. Connor would add two assists to get to 499 for his career.
"I think there's been a real focus of just having attack mindsets, a lot of pucks to the net," said Kyle Connor about the power play.
"Don't overpass. And, you know, you got a lane change of sides. You got a little ice in front of, you know, get the pucks on net. I think we were very direct tonight."
