Ehlers' 2 late goals powers Winnipeg past Ducks 4-3
Nikolaj Ehlers scored twice 19 seconds apart in the third period as the Winnipeg Jets rallied for a 4-3 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night.
The Jets trailed 3-2 late in the third period and pulled the goalie before Ehlers tied it with 1:20 remaining after a scramble following a faceoff deep in the offensive zone. He then scored the winner with 1:01 with a shot from the right faceoff circle.
Ehlers is the sixth player in NHL history to score a game-tying and go-ahead goal in the final two minutes of regulation and the first since Chicago's Jonathan Toews did it in a 2015 game against Buffalo.
"If you're going to try to make sense of this in terms of karma, Nik Ehlers probably had enough stored up -- or bounces, or whatever it is -- for a good shooter to get a few breaks," coach Paul Maurice said.
It is the second time in franchise history the Jets have trailed in the final two minutes and won in regulation. The other was in 2004, as the Atlanta Thrashers, when they defeated Florida.
"I think I had a lot of good chances, a lot of shots (during his goalless streak) but I think tonight I just skated," said Ehlers, who also had an assist. "It feels amazing obviously to come back and win that game."
Andrew Copp had a goal and two assists. Evgeny Svechnikov also scored, and Connor Hellebuyck made 32 saves for the Jets, who have won three straight.
"That's the interesting thing about the sport is every puck that goes to the net is a chance, right? So, every once in a while, you'll get that unusual, you bang in two like that," Maurice said. "I've seen things like that before, I've seen them in the playoffs. Down a goal, you pull the goalie, score, go right down the ice and win a series, it happens."
Trevor Zegras and Sonny Milano had a goal and an assist, and Josh Manson also scored for Anaheim. John Gibson stopped 21 shots for the Ducks, who have dropped five of their last six.
"For 58 minutes, it was probably the best game we played. But the game's 60 minutes, so unacceptable," coach Dallas Eakins said.
Anaheim grabbed a 2-1 lead 1:39 into the third period when Manson ripped a wrist shot from near the blue line that deflected off Dubois' glove and into the net. Copp tied it less than four minutes later with a shot from the right faceoff circle off a pass from Stastny.
Zegras put Anaheim on top again with a snap shot after Milano stole the puck deep in the Winnipeg zone, but the Ducks were unable to sustain momentum.
"It's one of those ones that just kind of doesn't make sense right now. Up until the last two-minute mark, that was one of the better games we've had this season in terms of controlling the pace of the game," Zegras said. "These are games that we need to win, and I guess we're going to look at it and see what we can do better, but this definitely stings for sure."
Svechnikov opened the scoring at 2:07 of the second period when he took the feed in the slot from Pierre-Luc Dubois and beat Gibson with a wrist shot that Gibson was unable to stop with his stick or blocker. It is Svechnikov's first goal with the Jets after he signed as a restricted free agent during the offseason.
The Ducks tied it four minutes later when Trevor Zegras stole the puck from Nate Schmidt in the offensive zone and passed it to Milano, who fired a wrist shot past Hellebuyck for his first goal of the season.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.