Game On Recap: Winnipeg Jets 2 Chicago Blackhawks 1

Jets earn come-from-behind victory over Chicago

For most of the Winnipeg Jets’ almost-sold-out home opener, it felt as if Wednesday night’s 6-0 win in Edmonton had taken place months ago.

It seemed as if the team that was introduced to its adoring fans in another fuelled-by-passion-season-opening pre-game spectacular was only marginally interested in actually playing the hockey game.

That is until late in the third period. Trailing 1-0 to the not-quite-ready-for-prime-time Chicago Blackhawks, the Jets’ team leader decided the home side was not going to lose. 

In fact, it seemed as if the fans response to Scheifele’s tying goal fired up the Jets engine. Because just 38 seconds into overtime, Scheifele converted a perfect centering pass from Kyle Connor and easily beat Soderblom for the winning goal – a winning goal that just happened to be his third of the young season and the 300th of his outstanding career.

In a game that the visiting Blackhawks were about to steal, Scheifele simply wouldn’t let it happen. Granted, to many along press row, the Jets weren’t deserving of their second win in as many games to start the 2024-25 season. However, those folks often forget that there are two teams on the ice and the Blackhawks, although young and probably not playoff ready, had just played a terrific defensive game to keep the Jets at bay.

“We stuck to it, kept the pressure on and got one,” said Schiefele of his tying goal. “Our guys kept getting pucks to the net and I was just lucky enough to be right there and put her home.”

In the second period, both teams had 11 shots on goal, but the Hawks scored the only goal as Ryan Donato beat Hellebuyck on the short side at 16:52. To his credit, the current Jennings and Vezina Trophy-holding Jets netminder went 96 minutes and 52 seconds before allowing a goal this season. That’s impressive.

Sadly, after putting up a six-pack in Edmonton on Wednesday night, the Jets didn’t have much puck luck on Friday. Of course, to be fair to the Blackhawks, the Jets didn’t have many stellar scoring chances, either. At least, not until the dying minutes, when Hellebuyck skated to the bench and head coach Scott Arniel sent out his sixth attacker 

It might not have been a decisive victory, but it was a thriller. The fans definitely went home happy and quite frankly, the Jets “deserved” to win. They outshot Chicago 35-26 – 17-9 in the third period and overtime – and won 64 per cent of the faceoffs. They were the better team and absolutely full marks for a hard-earned win.

“We started the game really well and had a lot of chances, but we didn’t score and stopped doing what we were doing,” said Nikolai Ehlers whose shot from a tough angle led to the rebound and loose puck that Scheifele banged home to tie the game. “They clogged up the middle really well and that led to a lot of turnovers and a lot of odd-man rushes for them. I think if we’d kept playing the way we did in the first 10 minutes, the game would have been a lot different. But that’s also a credit to them.”

Sure, Gabriel Vilardi should have had four goals and Hellebuyck probably should have had another shutout, but the fact the team’s star scored twice and notched his 300th and the team’s all-star goaltender has now allowed only one goal in two games, suggests that no matter how things go for 60 minutes, this Jets team has the personnel and the heart to win.

It could be a really fun season.