‘A tough pill to swallow’

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/12/2024 (519 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Dylan DeMelo spoke calmly, but it’s fair to say that he doesn’t agree with referee Justin Kea.

With the Winnipeg Jets already down a man in the latter stages of the third period while holding a one-goal lead, Kea sent defenceman DeMelo to the box to serve a tripping minor.

That put the Jets down two men for one minute and 47 seconds and after some superb puck movement, Victor Olofsson tied the game with 1:49 to go in the third period.

“I’ve seen guys do a lot worse and not get a call,” said DeMelo. “So that’s a tough pill to swallow. We all know that at the end of games or overtime, it’s got to be pretty egregious to be a penalty and he deemed it so.”

The Jets ultimately fell 3-2 after Ivan Barbashev converted a pass from Shea Theodore on a two-on-one rush to secure the extra point at 3:47 of overtime, leaving Winnipeg to settle for a single point as they lost an eighth consecutive regular-season game to the Golden Knights.

Jets head coach Scott Arniel was asked about the penalties called late in the contest and chose his words carefully.

“I’m not talking about the other one. They have their power play with two minutes to go,” said Arniel. “Anyways. The first one was a penalty.”

In overtime, Jets defenceman Haydn Fleury was looking to move the puck up ice, but the Jets were in the midst of a line change and the Golden Knights came into the offensive zone with speed and closed out the contest.

“We didn’t like our first two periods, but we were still up 1-0 going into the third,” said Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey, who put his team up 2-1 at 10:55 of the third period. “Obviously it was a tough ending with the penalties there at the end of the game. It was a tough situation and we couldn’t get it done in OT.”

The Jets, who slipped to 21-9-1 and lost in extra time for the first time this season, close out a four-game homestand on Saturday against Patrik Laine and the Montreal Canadiens.

Let’s take a closer look at this one:

STILL STREAKING

Jets winger Nikita Chibrikov extended his NHL goal-scoring streak to three games on Thursday, driving the net and banging home a rebound after a smart low shot from Vladislav Namestnikov.

Chibrikov continues to make an impression on the Jets coaching staff during his first recall of the season and the second of his career.

He’s up to two goals and three points in two games this season to go along with his goal in Game 82 of lasst season. He’s also handling his defensive responsibilities and doing the little things that earn the trust of the coaching staff.

Although Brad Lambert showed fairly well in his four games with the Jets, it’s easy to see why the Jets wanted to get a look at Chibrikov as well — and he’s been making the most of that opportunity.

Chibrikov is doing what he can to make it a tough decision for the Jets to send him back to the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League once the team is back to full health and that’s all that a prospect can do in this situation.

“He’s strong on his skates. He’s willing to go in those dirty areas. He took a few licks but he’s a guy that gets first on the puck and (can) get it out to make a play,” said DeMelo. “He’s fearless out there, he’s got a good knack for the net and he’s been rewarded for going to the net and getting a couple goals.”

THE SAVE

Just past the midway point of the first period, Jets winger Nino Niederreiter made a desperation play that saved a goal.

As a shot caromed off the end boards, it landed directly on the stick of Golden Knights winger Pavel Dorofeyev and with plenty of net to shoot at, it looked like he was going to fire the puck in to tie the game.

Niederreiter fully stretched out and tipped the puck enough so that Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck could get into position to make the save.

MANITOBA CONTENT

The Golden Knights’ roster features four Manitobans and they played a prominent role in the outcome of this one.

Keegan Kolesar took advantage of a defensive zone turnover and ripped a quick shot past Hellebuyck for his seventh goal of the season at 4:34 of the third period.

Then with the Golden Knights enjoying a lengthy two-man advantage late in regulation time, Winnipegger Mark Stone made a perfect cross-seam pass to Olofsson, who tied the game 2-2 with 1:49 to go in the third period.

Stone is also the player who was tripped by DeMelo to ensure there would be the lengthy two-man advantage for the Golden Knights.

Oakbank product Brett Howden was held off the scoresheet, but finished with two shots on goal and four hits in 14:03 of ice time.

Defenceman Zach Whitecloud returned to the Golden Knights lineup for the first time in nearly three weeks and finished with just under 16 minutes of ice time.

AFTERBURNER

Key play

Barbashev converts a pass from Theodore on a two-on-one rush at 3:47 of overtime to secure the bonus point.

The three stars

1. Shea Theodore: Golden Knights, Set up the 2-2 goal and the overtime winner.
2. Connor Hellebuyck: Jets, Finished with 33 saves.
3. Ivan Barbashev: Golden Knights, Scored the overtime clincher.

EXTRA, EXTRA

Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers skated on his own for a third consecutive day, but Arniel wasn’t sure when he would be ready to rejoin the main group in a non-contact jersey. He’s missed the past seven games with a lower-body issue he sustained in the first meeting of the season against the Golden Knights.

Arniel said Jets defenceman Dylan Samberg wouldn’t be back in action until the calendar turns to 2025. He’s been out with a broken foot since Nov. 23. Jets forward David Gustafsson remains in concussion protocol.

The Jets placed forward Henri Nikkanen on unconditional waivers on Thursday, with the purpose of terminating his contract. Nikkanen, who was chosen by the Jets in the fourth round (113th overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft, is heading back to play overseas after spending the past two seasons and change with the Manitoba Moose. The Finnish centre had essentially stalled in his development with one goal and four points in 13 games with the Moose this season. The chances are high Nikkanen wouldn’t have been given a qualifying offer in June and would have become an unrestricted free agent anyway, so this move simply speeds up the process.

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

X and Bluesky: @WiebesWorld