Nikolaj Ehlers scores twice to lift Jets over Flames 3-2 in NHL pre-season action
Speed can make all the difference in hockey and one of the Winnipeg Jets' fastest forwards continues to prove that.
Using his impressive speed, Nikolaj Ehlers scored two goals, including the game-winner, to lead the Jets to a 3-2 victory over the Calgary Flames on Wednesday in a pre-season NHL game before 14,937 fully-vaccinated fans at the Canada Life Centre.
"Yeah, it's always nice scoring, whether it's pre-season or regular season or playoffs, it feels the same," said Ehlers, who his teammates call "Fly."
"I knew that I would have my chances, but I like that they went in tonight."
When Ehlers is flying, it is contagious, said Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey.
"We talked tonight about playing fast and obviously, I'll give my opinion, when Nikky is playing fast, he's at his best and shooting the puck kind of coincides with that," said Morrissey, who scored the first goal of the game. "I thought our first period was really good and overall, we were trying to play fast and shoot the puck, and I think it just turns our pace up a little bit.
Ehlers snapped a 2-2 tie on a power play at 9:14 of the third period.
With Flames defenceman Nikita Zadorov off for interference, Ehlers took a pass from rearguard Nate Schmidt near the blue line and quickly fired a wrister that beat Calgary goalie Dan Vladar. In the first period, Ehlers scored on an end-to-end run, slapping a shot over Vladar's left shoulder from the top of the face-off circle.
"When Fly is doing that, it's dangerous every time," said Morrissey. "When you're watching him, whenever he shoots, especially when he's in full stride, there's a chance that it's going in.
"We talk about Schmidty (Nate Schmidt), his energy, Fly's energy, the energy we have there as a group, it's infectious. It makes you want to be a shooter and try to have that excitement to score as well."
Ehlers had several chances to get the hat trick but missed on a breakaway and lost his stick after his teammates tried to set him up for an empty-net goal.
Vladar stopped 37 shots for the Flames.
Although it looked like Calgary had tied it with Vladar pulled from the net, it was called off due to a high stick after a video review.
"We knew they were gonna come hard and they did," Vladar said. "I think we just battled our way through it. It wasn't one of our best games, but we still battled our way through it. We made it kind of tight and obviously, we scored at the end. It didn't count, though."
Connor Hellebuyck made 16 saves in net for the Jets (2-2-1).
Forward Andrew Mangiapane, on the power play, and forward Glenn Gawdin both scored in the second period for Calgary (2-4-1).
"It didn't go our way tonight, but I don't think we should be putting ourselves in those positions, starting off behind early on," Mangiapane said. "They're a good team. They were fast on us. We weren't really breaking the puck out too well at the start."
The Jets, who had just lost back-to-back games on the road to Edmonton and Vancouver, snapped their two-game losing streak.
It was the first of a home-and-home series, with the Jets facing the Flames in Calgary on Friday. It was also Winnipeg's last home pre-season game.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 6, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Asking rent prices up 9.3% across Canada, Ontario sees only decline: report
A new report says the average asking rent for a home in Canada in April was up 9.3 per cent compared with a year ago, while a slight month-over-month increase was also recorded for the first time since January.
Prince William says wife Kate is 'doing well'
Prince William said on Friday his wife Kate was 'doing well' in a rare public comment about the Princess of Wales as she undergoes preventative chemotherapy for cancer.
'I may have some nightmares:' Man survives being bitten by 2 sharks in Bahamas
A man who was bitten by two sharks in the Bahamas said Thursday he's 'thankful that I'm here' while sharing his story of survival.
Ontario coroner to investigate death of man who suffered cardiac arrest while waiting in ER
A provincial coroner will be investigating the death of 68-year-old David Lippert, who suffered a cardiac arrest while waiting in a crowded emergency room in Kitchener, Ont.
Magnitude 4.2 earthquake reported off Vancouver Island's west coast
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded west of Vancouver Island early Friday morning.
'Irate male' assaulted Newfoundland officers with block of cheese, police say
Police in Newfoundland say patrol officers were assaulted Thursday by a "very irate male" wielding a block of cheese.
Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
Canadian Blood Services apologizes to LGBTQ2S+ community for discriminatory blood donation policy
Canada's longstanding blood donation policy that prevented sexually active men who have sex with men and some trans people from donating blood and plasma was harmful and discriminatory, Canadian Blood Services acknowledged on Friday, in issuing an apology to the LGBTQ2S+ community.