The Vancouver Canucks continue their quest to make the playoffs when they head out on the road to face the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday afternoon.
The Canucks (34-26-13, 81 points) currently sit just outside the playoff picture in the Western Conference and dropped a crucial point when they fell 7-6 in a shootout to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday.
The Canucks led 3-0 in the first period and were unable to preserve a 5-3 advantage in the third period by giving up three goals in a 10-minute stretch. They did force overtime to salvage a point on a goal with less than three minutes remaining.
“It was a high, emotional game, and we didn’t quit,” Canucks forward Brock Boeser said. “But saying that, we let them score three goals straight twice, so that’s obviously unacceptable, and we’ve got to clean up whatever happened.”
Boeser had a goal and an assist, Aatu Raty scored a pair of goals, and both Pius Suter and Kiefer Sherwood had three assists in the loss. Raty’s second goal tied the score 6-6 at 17:31 of the third period.
“When pressure hits, you’ve got to face it,” coach Rick Tocchet said. “I think sometimes we’re sinking but it’s a learning process. That’s why we learn. Some young guys, they’re trying hard, but this is a good lesson for them.”
Sunday’s all-Canada matchup with the Jets, represents the finale of a six-game road trip for the Canucks, before they head home for three straight. Vancouver owns a 2-1-2 record on the road swing.
The NHL-best Jets (50-19-4, 104 points) will finish a four-game homestand Sunday. They have won consecutive games and six of their past eight.
After an impressive 3-2 overtime victory over the Washington Capitals on Tuesday in a battle between top teams in the NHL, the Jets followed up with a 4-0 victory against the injury-plagued New Jersey Devils on Friday.
Winnipeg goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 24 saves as he recorded his NHL-leading seventh shutout of the season.
Hellebuyck surpassed his own record for most shutouts in a season in Jets/Atlanta Thrashers franchise history.
“I think it was a complete team effort — perfect way to put it,” Hellebuyck said. “Everyone was playing their game, snapping it around, playing quick, hitting. Our details were great tonight. … I just love shutouts, to be honest with you. That’s why I play the game.”
Alex Iafallo chipped in a pair of goals in the victory over the Devils and David Gustafsson scored in his first game back in the lineup since March 6th. Iafallo, has taken on a larger role since Gabriel Vilardi came away with an upper-body injury last Sunday.
“(Iafallo) has taken advantage of the opportunity,” Jets coach Scott Arniel said. “Getting the chance … to play a lot more, play in that top line, and then (Gustafsson) getting in the lineup, those are just situations of guys taking advantage of opportunities that have been put out in front of them.
“I think our group has done that all year, and that’s helped with our success.”
Vilardi is considered week-to-week.
Kyle Connor also had a pair of assists, and Mark Scheifele finished with a goal and an assist.
With his two-point performance, Scheifele passed former teammate Blake Wheeler for the most multi-point efforts in Jets/Thrashers history, with 201.
The Jets also became the first team in the league to reach 50 wins this season, becoming the first Canada-based team to first reach the 50-win plateau in a season since the Canucks did it in 2010-11.
