Senators hand slumping Jets 6th straight loss

WINNIPEG -- The Winnipeg Jets lost their sixth straight game, 3-2 against the Ottawa Senators at Canada Life Centre on Saturday.

Brady Tkachuk broke a 2-2 tie with 1:45 remaining in the third period with a one-timer on a power play, and Joonas Korpisalo made 28 saves.

"We're not winning that game if not for [Korpisalo] and those big saves," Tkachuk said. "We have full trust in [goaltenders Korpisalo and Anton Forsberg], and it was very nice to see him get rewarded in the last couple of games."

Tkachuk had a goal and an assist, and Boris Katchouk and Ridly Greig scored for the Senators (33-36-4), who have won five straight. 

"I think when you got a goalie that makes some big saves that gives a lot confidence to the rest of the guys," Ottawa interim coach Jacques Martin said. "I thought we played pretty good and it was a good effort. [The Jets] are a good hockey team, they've got good depth, so it was nice to get the two points."

Mark Scheifele and Nikolaj Ehlers scored for the Jets (44-24-6), who are 0-5-1 during their skid. Connor Hellebuyck made 24 saves.

Winnipeg is six points behind the Colorado Avalanche for second in the Central Division and four points ahead of the Nashville Predators, who hold the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference.

"It's disappointing that we had to battle back to get to 2-2 to start with," Winnipeg coach Rick Bowness said. "We're just finding ways to beat ourselves. Had enough offense for a couple periods. Some uncharacteristic odd-man rushes against us, again, just guys trying to do too much or making a bad read. It's one or the other. It's another game where we had a wide-open net to tie it up. That's back-to-back games. That was sitting there, we just missed it. It's disappointing we had to battle back."

Ehlers gave the Jets a 1-0 lead at 1:58 of the second period, scoring in front off a rebound of Sean Monahan's shot.

"It definitely hurts. It's not a good feeling, that's for sure," Scheifele said. "That's how fine this game is. Just little things that matter, especially at this time of the season. They put the pressure on all game long. [Hellebuyck] made some good saves. I wish we pushed a few more past them."

Katchouk tied it 1-1 at 3:39 on a 4-on-1 rush with Erik Brannstrom.

"We're standing still," Bowness said of the sequence that led to Katchouk's goal. "Any time you're standing still when you make those plays, and they're moving, you're going to put yourself in a bad position. Again, it's just making the right read. Trying to make poor percentage plays and then it's a bad read on top of that. It just magnifies it. That's what it looks like."

Greig gave the Senators a 2-1 lead off a turnover in the Winnipeg zone when he deked Hellebuyck with a backhand at 13:25.

"I think it's just the little things that everyone's been doing, and you see the results that we've had," Tkachuk said. "We've got to keep building, keep finishing strong and keep building on our momentum."

Scheifele tied it 2-2 with a power-play goal at 9:48 of the third period with a wrist shot from the top of the circle that deflected off Senators defenseman Artem Zub.

"The power play did a great job," Jets captain Adam Lowry said. "They got us back in the game. The penalty kill (4-for-5) didn't do its job. Disappointing loss, disappointing end of the game there. Even with the goalie pulled, we had some great looks. I thought those guys were generating some chances."

With 3:54 remaining in the game, Korpisalo kept the game tied at 2-2, making a diving save. He attempted to clear the puck from behind his net and rushed to get back into the crease when Scheifele shot the puck from the opposite sideboards.

"It's fun to battle with the guys in the last minutes there," Korpisalo said. "And finding a way to win, it's even better. We are having fun, for sure."

With Zub and Tyler Kleven each taking penalties in the final minute of the third, the Jets had 6-on-4 and 6-on-3 man-advantages with Hellebuyck pulled for the extra attacker.

"There was a lot of guys in front of my net, so just trying to find the puck and for the guys to just try to stay tight," Korpisalo said of the late penalty kill. "We didn't want to let any cross-ice passes and not letting any slot chances for me. Luckily [Sean Monahan] missed their one open net there (with eight seconds left), but I think we did a great job there otherwise."

NOTES: Ottawa's five-game winning streak is their longest of the season, and their first streak of that length since Feb. 25 to March 4, 2023. … Senators forward Drake Batherson played his 300th NHL game. He has an assist in 22:18 of ice time. … Winnipeg is 1-for-22 on the power play during its losing streak.