The Winnipeg Jets (53-21-4) made a statement on Monday night (Apr. 7), beating the St. Louis Blues 3-1 and ending their 12-game win streak.
The Jets, who had lost two of three coming into Monday’s game, put some valuable distance between them and the second-place Dallas Stars after the Stars dropped their game on Sunday (Apr. 6) against the Minnesota Wild. The Jets now hold a five-point lead over the Stars atop the Central Division and the Western Conference with four games to play.
The Blues (43-29-7), who have been the hottest team in the league over the past month, looked to extend their franchise-best streak, while the Jets needed a regulation win. The classic case of an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object.
After a scoreless first period, the Jets struck first just a few minutes into the second. After the puck came free in the neutral zone, Morgan Barron collected the loose puck and drove the net, beating Blues’ netminder Joel Hofer to make it 1-0.
The Blues tied it up just under five minutes later on a goal from Pavel Buchnevich. His 18th of the season came off a crafty centering pass from Robert Thomas and made it 1-1.
Seven minutes into the third period, the Jets regained their lead after some extended offensive pressure. After some great work by Kyle Connor, Alex Iafallo collected the rebound and was able to bury it to make it 2-1. The Jets’ top line of Connor, Iafallo, and Mark Scheifele took over in the third period and has done well over the past several games to adapt after losing Gabriel Vilardi to injury.
Adam Lowry sealed the deal with an empty-net goal as the Jets got back in the win column and ended the Blues’ 12-game win streak. More importantly for the Jets, it secured a regulation win to give them a bit of breathing room and try and get a stranglehold on the first tiebreaker (regulation wins).
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Connor Hellebuyck was the winner in net, recording his 44th of the season while stopping 14 of 15 shots, while Hofer was charged with the loss after allowing two goals on 26 shots.
The Jets face their most important test yet, as they prepare to face the Stars on Thursday (Apr. 10) to try and get them that much closer to clinching the top seed. For the Blues, they head west to face the ever-dangerous Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday (Apr. 9) for their third-to-last game of the regular season.
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