I can’t wait until August Long Weekend.

No, not because I’ll be at a cabin. No, not because I have a golf trip planned. And no, not even because it means an extra day off of work. Hockey returns on August Long Weekend and I can’t wait to pull up my seat on the couch, or on the patio, to cheer on the Winnipeg Jets in their Qualifying Round, play-in series versus the Calgary Flames.

The schedule is set and it’s looking like a great weekend to watch hockey. The Jets open up their series on Saturday, August 1 at 9:30 PM and follow that up with Game 2 on Monday, August 3 at 1:30 PM. How great is that?

How are you going to be watching hockey’s return? Will you be at the cabin watching it with the lake in the background? On your deck with the barbecue sizzling beside you? On a patio with other hockey fans as you cheer on your team six feet apart?

Well, however you end up watching, I’m sure this is what they call the 'Canadian Dream'. The weather is beautiful and we get to enjoy playoff hockey. Does it get any better than that?

No. The answer is definitely not.

As the players get ready to play hockey, we should get ready to cheer them on. Let’s soak up our summer sun as much as we can so we can justify all the screen time we are about to encounter in August. Hey, we all need a little air conditioning in August to recharge our batteries.

Until then, enjoy the summer and keep counting down the days until hockey returns.

Craig's Corner: The Canadian Dream

<h2>Jets drop first test of home-and-home against colorado</h2>The Winnipeg Jets fell 3-2 to the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday evening from downtown Winnipeg.After picking up a somewhat lopsided win over the Vegas Golden Knights, the Jets bounced back with a loss against the No. 1 club, setting the stage for a very important Saturday evening showdown with the very same Avalanche team in the second test of the home-and-home.Mark Scheifele got two goals for Winnipeg - his 33rd and 34th of the season, which also set a new career high with 88 points on the year - on the night he surpassed Thomas Steen for most games played in a Jets jersey - 951.Nathan MacKinnon scored the winner - his second of the game and 48th of the season on a play Jets' head coach Scott Arniel thought was goaltender interference. He didn't get his way with the Coach's Challenge, but his team killed the delay of game minor. Winnipeg remains five points out of the final playoff spot and sees its chances dwindling by the hour as other clubs between the Jets and the postseason remain deep in the Western Conference playoff race. Next up is the second half of that home-and-home on Saturday, before the Jets head to Chicago, Dallas and Columbus next week.HIGHLIGHTS:<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2037322201494601732">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2037322201494601732</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2037324382209708086">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2037324382209708086</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2037325258018189665">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2037325258018189665</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2037327141059366961">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2037327141059366961</a> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2037355472559419867">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2037355472559419867</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2037360686196760823">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2037360686196760823</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2037371011247788135">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2037371011247788135</a>PHOTOS:The extended photo library from Thursday's game vs. Colorado is courtesy of Danny Truong:<img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a2587.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a2877.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a2967.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a3082.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a3383.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a3589.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a3925.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a4051.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a4230.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a4262.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a4513.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a4613.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a4640.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a4893.jpg">QUOTEABLE:Cole Perfetti on Mark Scheifele:“I think he's, what, now 32-33 and 951 games in, and I think he's having a career year this year. So it goes to show you his work ethic and his dedication to getting better every day and each year. I think every year he's getting better still, and usually when you get to 33 you kind of start going the other way, and he looks like he's getting better every day and every game. I admire how much he takes care of himself, his body, and his work ethic and practice and doing the little things right. As a young guy that's something that I can learn from. He doesn't get complacent, even though he is having such a great year. He's always looking to get better, and as a young guy I can definitely learn from that.”Mark Scheifele on passing Thomas Steen for most games played as as Jet: "Yeah, it's really cool. Honestly, and if you would have told me that when I started my career, don't know if I'd believe you, but I'm obviously very blessed to get to that point. You know, just have to thank God for keeping me healthy. And just want to keep it going." WHAT’S NEXT:Winnipeg will now get back on the road for a four-game stretch through Colorado, Chicago, Dallas and Columbus as the Jets continue to cling onto their playoff hopes. Saturday evening will be the second half of the home-and-home with the Avalanche. Puck drop is set for 6:00 PM central.

Game On Game Recap: Winnipeg Jets 2 Colorado Avalanche 3

<h2>SCHEIFELE SUPERB AS JETS WIN SECOND STRAIGHT</h2>It’s still an uphill battle but the Winnipeg Jets aren’t dead yet.&nbsp;Tuesday night, thanks to Mark Scheifele’s Gordie Howe hat-trick – a goal, two assists and a fight with Winnipegger Brett Howden – the Jets upset the visiting Vegas Golden Knights 4-1.&nbsp;As 13,478 patrons looked on at Canada Life Centre, the Jets built a 3-0 lead in the second period and then hung on to win their second straight game and improve to 30-29-12 on the season. The Jets now have points in six of their last seven games (4-1-2) and are still five points behind the Nashville Predators in the race for the final playoff spot in the West.&nbsp;With 11 games remaining, the Jets and Seattle have 72 points, Los Angeles has 73 and Nashville, who has won five straight, has 77. The Jets don’t have an easy road ahead, however. They have home-and-home contests against the Colorado Avalanche, the best team in the NHL, starting on Thursday in Winnipeg and also play seven of their final 11 on the road.&nbsp;Tuesday night, the stars were Scheifele, who was superb, along with linemate Kyle Connor, who had a goal and an assist, and goaltender Connor Hellebuyck who made 26 saves and won his 18th game of the season.&nbsp;Scheifele, who now has 32 goals and 54 assists and is seventh in scoring in the NHL, is only one point away from his career high of 87. When asked about his Gordie Howe hat-trick, Scheifele laughed: “I think it’s fourth of my career, so it’s nothing new.” Both Scheifele and Connor scored their 32nd goals of the season.&nbsp;Despite the fact the Golden Knights dominated the first period (at the 9:59 mark, Vegas had outshot Winnipeg 9-0), the Jets opened the scoring at 17:25 of the first period on a classic Jets play: Scheifele dug the puck out of the corner and got it back to Josh Morrissey who whipped a pass to Connor who one-timed a shot past Vegas goaltender Adin Hill. It was a goal on Winnipeg’s fifth shot of the game and while the Jets led 1-0 after the first period, they were outshot 13-5.&nbsp;<img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/perfetti-scores.jpeg">Perfetti scores off the great pass from Vilardi (Photo by Danny Truong)Despite the fact Vegas controlled the play, the Jets piled it on in the second. Alex Iafallo extended Winnipeg’s lead to 2-0 at 2:08 of the second period. After a turnover by Vegas’ wildly overrated defenceman – and marginal Olympian -- Shea Theodore, Scheifele drilled a perfect cross-ice pass into Iafallo’s stick who ripped a wrister under the bar to Hill’s short-side. It was a beauty – Iafallo’s 12th of the year.Cole Perfetti made it to 3-0 at 4:06 as Dylan DeMelo drilled a stretch pass to Gabriel Vilardi who led a three-on-rush into Vegas territory. Vilardi waited then laid a perfect pass onto Perfetti’s stick and all he had to do was tap it into an empty net behind Hill. It was Perfetti’s 10th of the season and Vilardi’s 32nd assist.<img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/perfetti-at-the-bench.jpg">Perfetti celebrates his goal (Photo by Danny Truong)Colton. Sissons cut the Jets lead to 3-1 on the power play at 10:26, but the Jets took back the momentum and eventually got an empty-netter from Scheifele at 18:42 to send the fans home happy.&nbsp;The three stars were 1. Scheifele, 2. Connor and 3. Hellebuyck. Vegas outshot Winnipeg 27-21 but the Jets won 52 per cent of the faceoffs and outhit the visitors 22-11.&nbsp;Winnipeg is back in action at Canada Life Centre at 7 p.m. (CDT) on Thursday night as the Avalanche come back to town. The Jets go to Colorado for the re-match on Saturday at 6 p.m. (CDT).&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Scheifele Has Gordie Howe Hat-Trick to Lead Jets Past Vegas 4-1

<h2>Mosienko's mark still stands today</h2>"Lightning in a Beer Bottle." It began as a throwaway line — the kind of locker-room musing that fades as quickly as it’s spoken.On the eve of a meaningless late-season game in 1952, Billy Mosienko, a smallish winger from Winnipeg’s North End, casually remarked that he’d love to do something to get his name into the record book. Less than 24 hours later, he didn’t just make history — he shattered it in a way that still defies belief.On March 23, 1952, inside a half-empty Madison Square Garden, Mosienko caught what he famously called “lightning in a beer bottle.” In a span of just 21 seconds, he scored three goals — a National Hockey League record that, more than seven decades later, still stands untouched.&nbsp;At the time, there was little reason to expect anything remarkable. The Chicago Black Hawks and New York Rangers were both out of playoff contention in the NHL’s six-team era, playing out the string in front of a modest crowd of just 3,254 fans. The game itself seemed to be decided early in the third period, with the Rangers cruising to a 6-2 lead.But hockey, as it so often does, had other plans.<img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/bill-mosienko-skating-between-max-and-doug-bentley.jpg">Mosienko in the middle between Doug and Max Bentley - the Pony LineMosienko, temporarily serving as Chicago’s captain, had already built a reputation as a gifted scorer. A product of Winnipeg’s North End, he’d honed his game in local rinks before starring with the Winnipeg Monarchs and eventually joining the Black Hawks in the early 1940s. Alongside Max and Doug Bentley, he was part of the famed “Pony Line,” one of the most dynamic forward units of the era.&nbsp;Still, nothing in his accomplished career hinted at what was about to unfold.The Rangers, for their part, were limping through the finale. With their top goaltenders unavailable, they turned to third-string netminder Lorne Anderson, who had already played a full game earlier that day with the Rangers’ farm team. On defense, Hy Buller — chasing a franchise record — suited up despite a cracked ankle. It was a patchwork lineup in a game that meant little.Until, suddenly, it meant everything.<img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/bill-mosienko-3.jpg">The Polaroid of the RecordAt 6:09 of the third period, Mosienko struck. Taking a pass from Gus Bodnar, he darted around Buller, cut to the net and slipped the puck under Anderson’s glove to make it 6-3. Eleven seconds later, off the ensuing faceoff, Bodnar found him again. Mosienko repeated the move — same route, same finish — and suddenly it was 6-4.The Garden, quiet moments earlier, began to buzz.Then came the third goal — the one that would echo through hockey history. Just 10 seconds after his second, Mosienko took a feed from George Gee, raced into the zone and, reading Anderson’s anticipation of another low shot, flipped the puck high over the glove.Three goals. Twenty-one seconds. Bedlam.The Rangers were stunned. The small crowd roared. And Mosienko, the unassuming winger from Winnipeg, had just authored one of the most astonishing bursts the sport has ever seen.“It was insane,” one observer would later say — and that may be the simplest, most accurate description.Chicago wasn’t done. Energized by the improbable rally, the Black Hawks completed the comeback, scoring twice more in the final minutes to secure a 7-6 victory. What had been a forgettable game became an immortal chapter in NHL lore.&nbsp;For Mosienko, the record was the crowning moment of a stellar 14-year NHL career. Over 711 games, he scored 258 goals and 540 points, earning the Lady Byng Trophy in 1945 and multiple All-Star selections.&nbsp;But even among those accomplishments, the “Mosienko Miracle” stands alone — a feat so rapid, so improbable, that it feels almost mythological.And yet, it happened.There’s something fitting about the circumstances. A meaningless game. A small crowd. A battered opponent. Hockey, after all, has always had a flair for the unexpected. Records aren’t always born under bright lights or playoff pressure — sometimes, they emerge in the quiet corners of the schedule, when no one is watching.Except, of course, those lucky enough to be there.Mosienko would go on to finish his NHL career in 1955 before returning home to Winnipeg, where he continued to leave his mark on the game. He helped lead the Winnipeg Warriors to a Western Hockey League championship and remained a celebrated figure in Manitoba hockey circles.&nbsp;His legacy would later be cemented with induction into multiple halls of fame and the naming of a Winnipeg arena in his honour – the Billy Mosienko Arena is now home to the North Winnipeg Satelites of the capital Region Junior B Hockey League.But no accolade, no statistic, no ceremony quite captures the magic of that March night in New York. Twenty-one seconds. Three goals. One moment that refuses to fade.And on this date 74 years later, the record still stands — not just as a benchmark of scoring, but as a reminder of hockey’s capacity for the extraordinary. In a game where everything can change in an instant, Mosienko proved that sometimes, an instant is all it takes to become immortal.&nbsp;

Lightning in a Beer Bottle: The Night Billy Mosienko Made Hockey History

<h2>SELLout crowd in Winnipeg to Watch PWHL town Takeover</h2>The roar came early—and it never really stopped.From the moment Jocelyne Larocque stepped onto the ice at Canada Life Centre, the sellout crowd of 15,321 made it clear this wasn’t just another stop on the PWHL Takeover Tour. This was something bigger. Louder. Personal.&nbsp;For one night in Winnipeg, women’s hockey arrived and when it was over, after a dramatic 2-1 overtime win by the Ottawa Charge over the Montreal Victoire, the scoreboard almost felt secondary. Almost.Because this was about homecomings, about inspiration, and about a province seeing itself reflected on the ice.First, Winnipeg’s Kati Tabin got an enormous cheer when she was announced as a Montreal starter. However, if there was a heartbeat to the night, it was the 37-year-old four-time Olympian Larocque, the most highly decorated International Indigenous athlete in Canadian history.The Ste. Anne, Manitoba product—Olympian, veteran, and cornerstone defender—was greeted like royalty in her home province. Every touch of the puck brought a surge of energy. Every shift carried a little more meaning.Before the game, she received a deafening cheer from the enthusiastic crowd. After it, she was named third star. But what mattered most to her wasn’t the recognition—it was the moment itself.<img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1h0a2274p.jpg"> Jocelyne Larocque by James Carey Lauder“I’ve been so excited for this game all year,” Larocque said.&nbsp;“If I would have been a young kid being able to watch this game, I would have been over the moon.”That sentiment echoed throughout the building.This wasn’t just about elite athletes performing—it was about visibility. About possibility.Winnipeg has long been known as a hockey city. But Sunday night felt like a different kind of statement.From warm-up to overtime, the crowd was engaged, loud, and emotionally invested. This wasn’t passive appreciation—it was full-throttle support.And the numbers told the story: a full house of 15,321, many of whom came to see something they hadn’t experienced live before.&nbsp;Young girls leaned over railings for autographs. Families waved signs. Every big save, every rush, every near-miss was met with a collective gasp or eruption.Larocque understood the significance.“They’ve been able to watch us on TV for a few years now, but to see us live, it’s definitely different,” she said.&nbsp;Of course, if Larocque represented the emotional centrepiece, Kati Tabin delivered one of the game’s most electric near-moments.The Winnipeg native, playing for Montreal, had her chance late in the third period—a breakaway that felt destined to send the building into chaos. With under eight minutes remaining and the game tied 1-1, Tabin broke free. For a split second, everything slowed.<img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1h0a2402p.jpg">Kati Tabin by James Carey LauderThen Ottawa goaltender Gwyneth Philips shut the door.The save kept the game even—but the moment lingered.It was one of those plays that felt bigger than the result. A hometown player, in front of her people, inches away from a defining goal. Fact is, Tabin had required roughly 80 tickets for family and friends. Larocque had closer to 280 in attendance.&nbsp;For much of the night, it was a goaltending duel.Montreal’s Ann-Renée Desbiens was sharp, turning aside 26 shots. At the other end, Philips matched her with 20 saves, including the crucial stop on Tabin.The game unfolded as a tight, defensive battle—structured, physical, and patient.Ottawa struck first in the second period when Gabbie Hughes buried her fourth of the season off a crisp passing sequence.&nbsp;Montreal answered midway through the frame, as Abby Roque won a clean faceoff back to Nicole Gosling, who hammered home the equalizer.From there, it became a test of discipline and resilience.And then, chaos.he final minutes of regulation were anything but quiet.With under three minutes remaining, Ottawa’s Rebecca Leslie was called for goaltender interference, giving Montreal a prime chance to take control.Instead, the Charge nearly flipped the script entirely.Short-handed, Emily Clark and Brianne Jenner broke in alone on a two-on-none—but Desbiens came up with a stunning stick save to keep the game alive. Moments later, a Montreal penalty erased the advantage.Not surprisingly, overtime loomed.Of course, in OT, it was a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it momentJust 12 seconds into overtime Rebecca Leslie delivered the winner. On a carryover power play, she capitalized instantly, igniting the Ottawa bench.For Ottawa, it was another chapter in a season defined by tight games and extra time. For Montreal, it was a missed opportunity. For Winnipeg, it was a night to remember.“We were just so excited to play in front of… the whole province of Manitoba,” she said.&nbsp;“It’s a hockey province and this was something special.”&nbsp;

Local hero Larocque the Third Star as Her Ottawa Charge win an OT thriller

<h2>Jets rally late but come up short in central division battle with Nashville</h2>The Winnipeg Jets had another shot at moving up the standings in the Western Conference playoff race, but fell just short once again.This time it was by way of a 4-3 shootout loss to fellow Central Division rivals, the Nashville Predators. After a back-and-forth opening 40 minutes, Nashville pulled ahed 3-2 late in the third period. Winnipeg responded with Connor Hellebuyck on the bench for the extra attacker, as Jonathan Toews tied the game on his ninth of the season with just 1:01 to play.The game needed extra time - to which neither team could find the winner. A shootout then occurred, with Nashville's first shooter, Ryan O'Reilly, potting the decisive goal.None of Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele or Gabe Vilardi could muster up a goal in the shootout for Winnipeg.Vilardi and Josh Morrissey scored the other goals for Winnipeg, which fell to two points behind Nashville in the standings and four behind Seattle for the final wild card spot in the west. The game also marked the final test of the eight-game homestand for Winnipeg, to which the Jets now hit the road for three games in four days in Boston, Pittsburgh and New York. HIGHLIGHTS:<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2034061340344734129">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2034061340344734129</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2034069283114823876">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2034069283114823876</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2034076959538643082">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2034076959538643082</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2034094086375018997">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2034094086375018997</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2034107333085901162">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2034107333085901162</a>PHOTOS:The extended photo library from Tuesday's game vs. Nashville is courtesy of Danny Truong:<img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a3413.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a3450.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a4115.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a3976.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a3909.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a4247.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a4285.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a4396.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a4382.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a4634.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a4716.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a4837.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a5510.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a5529.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a5554.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a6020.jpg">QUOTEABLE:Jonathan Toews on if his goal was his biggest moment as a Jet thus far:“I don’t know. It’s nice to score in a situation like that. Going down the stretch, you’re going to be in some tight games. So, it’s nice to have some confidence when you go out there, whether it’s a power play or a six-man unit to score one late and get back in a game like that.”Gabe Vilardi on the eight-game homestand: "We've been winning and picking up points, so it's been pretty good. You know, we got to keep going though. Every game's playoff mode right now for us. That's the position we put ourselves in because of our earlier in the season trouble. Right now we're in playoff mode obviously, and we got to preferably get two points but what are you going to do?”WHAT’S NEXT:The Jets finally hit the road after what was a season-long, eight-game homestand (5-2-1). Next up are games in Boston, Pittsburgh and New York over the weekend before the team returns home for Tuesday/Thursday matchups with the Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche.

Game On Game Recap: Winnipeg Jets 3 Nashville Predators 4

<h2>Blues lose in Regulation for first time in eight games</h2>The most confounding team in the NHL won its second straight game despite being outplayed at every level of the game.&nbsp;And they did it thanks to a surprising hero.&nbsp;Defenceman Haydn Fleury scored his first goal and also dished out his first assist as a member of the Winnipeg Jets as Winnipeg held on to beat the visiting St. Louis Blues 3-2.&nbsp;After beating Colorado 3-1 on Saturday -- despite being outplayed -- the Jets came back on Sunday, were outshot 31-16 and seldom got the puck out of their own in the final 40 minutes and yet won their second straight and got back to .500 at 28-28-10.&nbsp;Amazingly, they are also in a playoff hunt, now just four points out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.&nbsp;It has been a crazy season and with 16 games left to play it could very well get even crazier.&nbsp;On Sunday, the Jets opened the scoring early (2:31) in the first period when defenceman Haydn Fleury took a nice pass from Brad Lambert and ripped a shot over the shoulder of Winnipeg-born St. Louis goaltender Joel Hofer. It was Fleury’s first goal as a member of the Jets and Brad Lambert’s first assist of the season. Morgan Barron, who started the play, also drew an assist. It had been 817 days since Fleury last scored a goal.&nbsp;<img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/scheifele-1.jpg">Scheifele beats Hofer (Photo. by Danny Truong)Five minutes later, Mark Scheifele was sent in alone by Josh Marrissey and he made no mistake flipping a shot over the pad of Hofer. It was Scheifele’s 31st of the year (he would have looked really good on the Canadian Olympic Team) and Morrissey’s 34th assist of the campaign.&nbsp;St. Louis outshot Winnipeg 9-6 in the first period and had some scoring opportunities, but Eric Comrie was superb in the Jets net.&nbsp;For the first 15 minutes of the second period, it appeared as if the ice was tilted toward Comrie’s net. The Jets had a terrible time getting the puck out of their own end for long stretches at a time and yet Comrie and the defence did a great job keeping the puck at bay. Neither team could score and while St. Louis outshot Winnipeg 6-4, the Blues didn’t have many great scoring chances.&nbsp;The Blues finally got on the board at 5:17 of the third when Dalibor Dvorsky converted a great pass from Jonatan Berggren on what was, essentially, a four-on-one Blues rush. It was Dvorsky’s 10th of the season.&nbsp;But the Jets bounced back with about eight minutes left in the period. The Blues were about to be handed a delayed minor penalty when Morgan Barron hit a streaking Kyle Connor with a perfect stretch pass at the Blues blueline. Connor went in alone and scored his 31st of the season with a nifty move that froze poor Hofer. It was a brilliant goal, a highlight-reel goal and truly fun to watch. As well, Haydn Fleury, who was having the game of a lifetime, picked up his first assist of the season to go with his first goal.<img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/comrie.jpg">Eric Comrie by Danny Truong&nbsp;Meanwhile, the Blues kept battling and decided to pull their goaltender with 3:47 to play and it paid off. After controlling the puck for nearly three full minutes, Dylan Holloway scored from in close at 19:09 to cut the Jets lead to 3-2.&nbsp;But that was all St. Louis could muster and the Blues had lost in regulation for the first time in their last eight outings.&nbsp;The Blues outshot Winnipeg 16-6 in the third and 31-16 overall. The three stars were 1. Fleury, 2. Barron and 3. Comrie. The Jets won 64 per cent of the faceoffs (that’s rare) and outhit St. Louis 26-13.&nbsp;The Jets play again on Tuesday night at Canada Life Centre against the Nashville Predators.&nbsp;

Fleury the Star as Jets Hold On to Beat St. Louis 3-2

<h2>After two Horrible losses jets beat avs 3-1</h2>Kyle Connor called it a “full team effort.”&nbsp;No doubt about that. It also proved that the 2025-26 Winnipeg Jets are the strangest, most confounding team in the NHL.&nbsp;Two nights after the Jets were horrible in a 6-3 loss to the lowly New York Rangers and four nights after they were even worse in a 4-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks, the Jets beat the best team in the National Hockey League, the Colorado Avalanche 3-1 in an afternoon affair at Canada Life Centre.&nbsp;With a near-sellout crowd on Hoser Night (OK, afternoon), the Jets got a goal and an assist from Connor, two assists from Mark Scheifele and a great goaltending effort from Connor Hellebuyck to improve to 27-28-10 on the season.&nbsp;Better yet, the Jets shook off those two disappointing outings during the week and beat an Avalanche team (now 44-12-9) that controlled the rink, won 58 percent of the faceoffs, outshot Winnipeg 29-18 and looked like a team that should be favoured to win the Stanley Cup.&nbsp;Nobody saw this one coming.&nbsp;Especially after Hellebuyck had been so bad against the Rangers on Thursday. On this particular Saturday afternoon, he was brilliant.&nbsp;The Jets survived the first period, despite being outshot 8-5 (7-2 with five minutes left in the period).&nbsp;The Jets did have a power play. However, they had no shots and barely got the puck into the Colorado zone. The Avalanche finished the period with a man advantage and appeared ready to unleash their high-powered offence.&nbsp;However, after the Jets fought off the Avs’ power play, Colorado’s Nathan McKinnon made a (dumb) blind pass at the Jets blueline. Winnipeg’s Mark Scheifele picked it up, skated into the Avs zone, found Kyle Connor streaking in late, fed the Jets’ sniper a perfect pass and Connor rifled home his 30th goal of the year at 2:05. Scheifele picked up his 50th assist of the season as the Jets scored on their sixth shot on goal.&nbsp;Winnipeg made it 2-0 at 11:52 when Alex Iafallo jumped on a rebound off a Scheifele shot and banged the puck behind Colorado goalie Mackenzie Blackwood. Scheifele and Connor drew the assists as Winnipeg found themselves with a two-goal lead after only taking 10 shots on goal.<img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a0566.jpg">&nbsp;That lead held up through 40 minutes despite the fact the Avalanche had a glorious scoring chance in the dying seconds of Period 2. Colorado outshot Winnipeg 8-7 in the second (16-12 overall) and yet found themselves two goals down.&nbsp;In the third. Colorado came out flying and when Jacob Bryson took a high-sticking penalty at the 15-secodn mark, it appeared as if the Avs would finally get on the board. But even though they took the first four shots of the period and had complete control of the Jets zone, they couldn’t beat Hellebuyck.&nbsp;In fact, Colorado pulled Blackwood with 3:35 remaining and held the Jets zone for almost two minutes, but Hellebuyck and the Jets defence barred the door.&nbsp;Finally ,with 1:16 left to play, the Jets could no longer fight off the onslaught as Martin Necas fired a shot into an almost empty net as Hellebuyck was laying helpless on the ice. That made it 2-1, it was Necas’s 31st of the year and the Avalanche net remained empty.&nbsp;However, with 42 seconds remaining, Cole Perfetti stole the puck in his own end and fired a shot from his own blueline into the middle of the Avalanche goal. It was unassisted and Perfetti’s ninth of the season.&nbsp;Interestingly, Perfetti hit the post of a still-empty Avalanche net just 40 seconds later. So close and yet so far.&nbsp;The three stars were 1. Connor, 2. Scheifele, and 3. Hellebuyck&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Hellebuyck, Connor, Scheifele Brilliant as Jets Upset Avalanche 

<h2>Jets collapse again, fall to Rangers Thursday</h2>For the second-straight game, the Jets fell and fell hard.After picking up points in six-straight games out of the Olympic break and earning three-straight wins, Winnipeg has now dropped back-to-back contests that truly weren't even close.The Jets did heavily outshoot the Rangers, but poor goaltending and difficult defensive zone coverage made it all too easy for the Rangers to swoop in and take both points at Canada Life Centre on Thursday.The game marked the fifth test of the season-long, eight-game homestand for the Jets, to which the Colorado Avalanche and St. Louis Blues next roll into town for weekend matinee affairs.Isak Rosen scored his first as a Jet. Kyle Connor danced Adam Fox for the prettiest goal of the season thus far, while Gabe Vilardi found his 25th of the year. But it was nowhere near enough as the Rangers pumped six into the Jets' net, finishing off their night with an empty-netter as time ticked down. The second of two-straight losses all but sealed the Jets' fate as an outsider. Next up, the ethical tank, as Winnipeg will look to drop down the standings over the remaining 18 games in hopes of acquiring one of the two top draft picks available at the June's NHL Draft. HIGHLIGHTS:<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2032248191341732320">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2032248191341732320</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2032251508721348806">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2032251508721348806</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2032261325582467175">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2032261325582467175</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2032262769530339653">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2032262769530339653</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2032269452310691934">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2032269452310691934</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2032278346407841797">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2032278346407841797</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2032279750354555038">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2032279750354555038</a>PHOTOS:The extended photo library from Thursday's game vs. New York is courtesy of James Carey Lauder:<img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1h0a9331p.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1h0a9322p.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1h0a9299p.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1h0a9006p.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1h0a8814p.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1h0a7722p.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1h0a9996p.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1h0a1776p.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1h0a9844p.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1h0a1104p.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1h0a2561p.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1h0a298p4.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1h0a8565p.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1h0a4093p.jpg">QUOTEABLE:Kyle Connor on his nifty goal:"Yeah, it was a great pass. Scheif, kind of, well, Sally started with our D, kind of quick up transition. I thought we did a good job of that. When we did get in the neutral zone, we needed that low speed and or just quick up to the winger. And it kind of started like that, and got the puck, and their D is tough to gap up when the defender, when you were able to do that. And just saw him lean in one way and try to make a move and got it after I had to pull it. Just, yeah, I thought he had a good angle, so that's why I kind of pump fake them and try to get around him."Isak Rosen on Jacob Bryson picking up the primary assist on his first as a Jet:“Really good feeling. I told him before the game that we can’t wait any longer. We have to score now. It was good we got one.” WHAT’S NEXT:Winnipeg remains at home for a Saturday afternoon affair with the Colorado Avalanche. They stick around for another test on Sunday, when St. Louis rolls into town for another matinee showdown. Both games feature afternoon puck drops.

Game On Game Recap: Winnipeg Jets 3 New York Rangers 6

<h2>Jets fall 4-1 to ducks</h2>Booty Shake Monday at the Pal? A team party? Apres ski night? There must have been something on the Winnipeg Jets' calendar on Monday night, because Tuesday evening's performance against Anaheim was impoverished at best. It was difficult effort, highlighted that much brighter by the stakes at hand.Now losing all three games to the Ducks this season, Winnipeg failed to gain any ground in a very tight Western Conference playoff race.The Jets had just one shot on net through the game's opening 19:59.They had six shots on goal after 40 minutes, and just 14 at the game's end.At one point fans were actually cheering for their shots on goal, while bringing out a loud 'shoot the puck' chant.Morgan Barron got the lone goal for Winnipeg - which actually was the first marker of the game.But the Ducks stormed right back, scoring moments after Barron's 1-0 tally. Anaheim kept it going, scoring two more goals for three in a span of 104 seconds or 1:44 of game play.An empty-net marker sealed the deal, with the Jets unable to find the twine on power plays or with Connor Hellebuyck on the bench for the extra attacker. They will look to do it all over again on Thursday night against the New York Rangers. HIGHLIGHTS:<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2031533172857413941">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2031533172857413941</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2031534001635328434">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2031534001635328434</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2031534905293717985">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2031534905293717985</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2031538745825251510">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2031538745825251510</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2031546747240300925">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2031546747240300925</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2031551329366323239">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2031551329366323239</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2031574102469656622">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2031574102469656622</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2031574285794378207">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/2031574285794378207</a>PHOTOS:The extended photo library from Tuesday's game vs. Anaheim is courtesy of James Carey Lauder:<img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1h0a9901p.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1h0a9436p.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1h0a9009p.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1h0a0015p.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1h0a3109p.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1h0a3044p.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1h0a2467p.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1h0a4396p.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1h0a1260p.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1h0a4623p.jpg">QUOTEABLE:Adam Lowry on the Jets' play:"We were disjointed tonight. It's a disappointing result; obviously, we know where we're at. It was an important game. The only thing we can do now is learn from it, come to the rink tomorrow, try and make sure we have a good practice so that this execution thing, another game like this, doesn't happen on Thursday.”Morgan Barron on his goal from Elias Salomonsson:"Salo just kind of found a puck and got it through. And, you know, again, talk about simplifying and how we didn't probably do it enough tonight, but that's one of the few examples that our line had, and really the whole team, I think, of just keeping a simple game. He did a good job getting the shot through and then hits me and goes in." WHAT’S NEXT:Winnipeg stays at home for another four games and will hope to get another three-plus games with a point like the past four games have delivered. First it's the New York Rangers who roll into town for a Thursday evening game, before the St. Louis Blues and Colorado Avalanche made Central Division appearances over the weekend.

Game On Game Recap: Winnipeg Jets 1 Anaheim Ducks 4

<h2>Scheifele, bedard, Geekie, even stamkos, would have produced moRe offence</h2>The United States beat Canada 2-1 in overtime to win the gold medal at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games.&nbsp;That’s a fact. It can’t be changed.&nbsp;But in the cold light of dawn (or two weeks later), here is something to ponder. If Canada had sent its best team, would the outcome have been different? I would say yes. Resoundingly.&nbsp;Before the Olympics began here at Game On, we questioned whether or not Canada was sending its best players to the Games. The excuses, of course, from those who supported Hockey Canada’s selections, ranged from, “well you have to a have a real team with real first, second, third and fourth lines,” to “so-and-so doesn’t play a good defensive game.”&nbsp;My response was always the same: “The other countries are sending their best players. It’s the coaching staff’s responsibility to work out the lines.”&nbsp;The team that Canada sent played well through the preliminary-round but really struggled in the medal-round. They were fortunate to beat Czechia and Finland in the quarterfinals and semifinal and because they couldn’t score, lost the gold medal game to the U.S.&nbsp;In that championship game, head coach Jon Cooper wore out Nathan McKinnon, Connor McDavid and Macklin Celebrini, running them out for extra shifts, double shifts and prolonged shifts. No wonder they didn’t score. They were too tired to finish.&nbsp;And therein lies the problem. Canada didn’t have enough goal scorers. Canada didn’t have enough elite players with finish. The United States didn’t beat Canada in the biggest game of the tournament. Canada beat themselves because the people in charge built a team to win the Stanley Cup, not a two-week elite tournament.&nbsp;As we look at the NHL statistics, we see that six Canadian players have scored 30 goals: McKinnon, McDavid, Celebrini, Morgan Geekie, Steven Stamkos and Mark Scheifele. Interestingly, three of those players were not chosen to represent Canada. Scheifele, the No. 4 overall scorer among Canadian players this season, was overlooked.&nbsp;Hockey Canada must really hate Mark Scheifele.&nbsp;Oh, and here’s another interesting player who was overlooked: Edmonton’s Evan Bouchard. He’s the leading scorer among Canadian NHL defencemen and the sixth-leading scorer among Canadian players overall. He might have looked really good with McDavid on the power play.&nbsp;The Top 12 Canadian forwards in scoring (in order) this season are as follows: McDavid, McKinnon, Celebrini, Scheifele, Nick Suzuki, Mitch Marner, Mark Stone, Ryan O’Reilly, Sydney Crosby, Sam Reinhart, Connor Bedard (in only 49 games) and tied for 12th, Brandon Hagel, Travis Konecny and Matthew Barzal. Nine of those 14 players were on Canada’s Olympic team.&nbsp;Of the players that are listed, I would suggest that Canada would have been a better team, a team that would have beaten the USA 4- or 5-1 in the gold medal final if Scheifele, Geekie, Bedard and O’Reilly were on the team and Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett, Tom Wilson and Bo Horvat weren’t.&nbsp;Frankly, I believe that a second line of Scheifele, Bedard and Gabriel Vilardi (yes, Gabriel Vilardi), would have given the Canadian coaches more scoring options even with Sydney Crosby injured.&nbsp;Canada lost the Olympic gold medal because we didn’t send our best players at the moment.&nbsp;In 2030, if this country wants to win gold, it needs a better brain trust.&nbsp;

Craig's Corner: The Canadian Dream

Read Next

Game On Game Recap: Winnipeg Jets 2 Colorado Avalanche 3 | 7 days ago

Scheifele Has Gordie Howe Hat-Trick to Lead Jets Past Vegas 4-1 | 9 days ago

Lightning in a Beer Bottle: The Night Billy Mosienko Made Hockey History | 10 days ago

Local hero Larocque the Third Star as Her Ottawa Charge win an OT thriller | 11 days ago

Game On Game Recap: Winnipeg Jets 3 Nashville Predators 4 | 16 days ago

Fleury the Star as Jets Hold On to Beat St. Louis 3-2 | 18 days ago

Hellebuyck, Connor, Scheifele Brilliant as Jets Upset Avalanche | 19 days ago

Game On Game Recap: Winnipeg Jets 3 New York Rangers 6 | 21 days ago

Game On Game Recap: Winnipeg Jets 1 Anaheim Ducks 4 | 23 days ago

Canada Didn't Send Its Best to the Olympics | 25 days ago

Craig Neufeld

Comments

Top Contributors

Trending Now