Connor scores twice, powers undermanned Winnipeg Jets to 5-1 win over Anaheim Ducks
Kyle Connor scored twice and added an assist Thursday as the Jets defeated the Anaheim Ducks 5-1 despite having two of their top-line players in COVID-19 protocol.
Connor's regular linemates, captain Blake Wheeler and star centre Mark Scheifele, missed Winnipeg's home opener and the club's first victory of the season (1-2-1) in front of 13,886 fans at the renamed Canada Life Centre.
Wheeler was symptomatic, tested positive and began the NHL's minimum 10-day quarantine on Monday. Scheifele tested positive Tuesday but is asymptomatic. He needs to stay that way and produce two straight negative tests before returning to the team.
Pierre-Luc Dubois had a goal and assist Thursday, while Andrew Copp and Josh Morrissey also scored for Winnipeg. Nate Schmidt collected a pair of assists.
Connor Hellebuyck made 38 saves for the Jets and Ducks goalie John Gibson stopped 22 of the 26 shots he faced.
Troy Terry scored for Anaheim (2-3-0), which was playing the third game of a four-game road trip.
Terry opened the scoring with a power-play goal at 2:46 of the first period, tipping in a Cam Fowler shot.
The Jets have now given up eight power-play goals on 16 penalties this season.
Winnipeg's transformed top line of Connor, centre Dubois and Evgeny Svechnikov tied it up at 4:10, with Dubois deflecting in a Connor shot.
The Ducks outshot the Jets 10-4 in the first period.
Copp gave Winnipeg a 2-1 lead 61 seconds into the second. The Jets went on the power play less than a minute later, but couldn't widen the gap.
Anaheim had a pair of power plays, but this time Hellebuyck and the Jets' penalty killers held tight.
The Ducks had a 27-19 lead in shots on goal after the second, but the Jets carried over a man advantage into the third and made good on it 1:30 into the final frame.
Morrissey's shot from the point went past Gibson on the stick side with 14 seconds remaining on the power play.
Anaheim pulled Gibson with more than four minutes remaining in the third and Connor scored on the empty net with his second attempt.
His first shot slid and hit the post, but his second try from the other end of the ice went into the empty cage at 17:11.
With Gibson back in net, Connor added his fifth goal of the season when he beat the netminder with a low shot with 1:14 left in the period.
Winnipeg hosts the Nashville Predators on Saturday, while Anaheim visits the Minnesota Wild the same night.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.