Zibanejad scores in OT as Rangers edge Jets 3-2

Winnipeg Jets' Brenden Dillon (5) clears the puck from behind goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) after a New York Rangers shot during third period NHL action in Winnipeg on Monday October 30, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Greenslade

Mika Zibanejad scored 4:34 into overtime to lift the New York Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Monday that extended their NHL win streak to five games.

Rangers forward Artemi Panarin scored on his birthday and added a pair of assists to stretch his season-opening point streak to nine games. Panarin, who turned 32, boosted his stats to five goals and 10 assists for the Rangers (7-2-0).

Chris Kreider scored his sixth goal of the season and Igor Shesterkin stopped 27 shots for New York, which concluded a season-high, five-game road trip. K'Andre Miller had two assists.

It was the first time in Rangers' history the team has won every game of a road trip that's been at least five games.

David Gustaffson and Nikolaj Ehlers scored for the Jets (4-3-2) in front of 11,898 fans at Canada Life Centre, the second-highest attendance of the season.

Capacity is 15,325 at the downtown rink, and the highest attendance has been 13,410 for the season opener against the Florida Panthers.

Cole Perfetti picked up a pair of assists and Connor Hellebuyck made 23 saves for Winnipeg, which is riding a five-game point streak (3-0-2).

The teams were tied 1-1 after the first period and kept the same score heading into the third.

Panarin scored the game's first goal when he redirected a pass from former Jets defenceman Jacob Trouba into the net with 1:36 remaining in the opening period.

Gustaffson tied it 28 seconds later with his second goal of the season.

New York got the game's first power play 1:06 into the second and almost scored except for some Winnipeg luck and quick thinking.

Vincent Trocheck shot the puck, it hit Hellebuyck's pad, then the post and sat on the goal line. Jets defenceman Brenden Dillon swooped in and swiped it away.

Shots on goal were 19-19 after the middle frame.

Ehlers beat Shesterkin with a wraparound at 5:08 of the third to take the lead. It was his second goal of the season and 400th career point.

Kreider tipped in an Adam Fox shot on the power play to tie it 2-2 at 13:12.

Winnipeg went into overtime on the power play after New York defenceman Ryan Lindgren was called for tripping with 19 seconds remaining in the third, but couldn't capitalize.

STANDING OVATION

As Jets fans stood and cheered, former Jets captain Blake Wheeler stepped on the ice, tapped his glove to his heart and mouthed "thank you" while a video tribute played midway through the first period.

Wheeler spent 13 seasons with the organization, including his last 12 with the Jets after the Atlanta Thrashers moved to Winnipeg in 2011. The final year of his contract was bought out in the off-season and he signed a one-year deal with the Rangers.

He brought his wife and three children in for the game.

"It's special to tie a bow on the whole experience together," he told reporters after Monday's morning skate.

Wheeler was Winnipeg's captain from 2016-22, and left as the franchise leader in regular-season games (897), points (812) and assists (550).

UP NEXT

Jets: Travel to Vegas to play the Golden Knights on Thursday.

Rangers: Return home to host the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 30, 2023.