Dawson Mercer and Kyle Connor each potted two goals, spearheading the Winnipeg Jets to a charged-up 4-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night. This wasn’t just another game though; it was the night former Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck came back to Winnipeg with the Devils, and while he didn’t play, his presence absolutely lit a fire under the home crowd and the Jets.
Hellebuyck’s Return Ignites a Firestorm in Winnipeg
The energy in Winnipeg was absolutely wild, all thanks to Hellebuyck’s return. The crowd made their feelings known, booing and taunting their former netminder, and you could feel that passion spill onto the ice. The Jets clearly fed off it, coming out with incredible intensity and jumping to a quick 2-0 lead in the first period. Mercer got things started at 7:54 with a snap shot from the faceoff circle that beat Devils goalie Jake Allen. Then, with a two-man advantage at 15:06, Connor deflected a pass from Cole Perfetti past Allen to double the lead. Mark Scheifele also picked up an assist on that goal, which is a massive deal: it tied him with Dale Hawerchuk for second place in franchise history with 550 assists. Jake Allen had his work cut out for him, stopping 21 shots for New Jersey, while Nico Daws made 19 saves for Winnipeg.
Devils Claw Back, But Can’t Hold On
You gotta give the Devils credit though; they weren’t going to roll over. After trailing 2-0 going into the second, they came out swinging and tied the game with two quick goals, only 44 seconds apart. Jesper Bratt scored first at 1:14, set up brilliantly by Arseny Gritsyuk from behind the net, with Jack Hughes also assisting to extend his point streak to six games. Less than a minute later, Cody Glass tied it up at 1:58, deflecting Jonathan Kovacevic’s shot past Daws. It was a serious gut check for the Jets, but they managed to keep the Devils off the board for the rest of the period. The Jets also effectively halted New Jersey’s impressive five-game win streak, showing some serious grit themselves.
Mercer Seals It, Connor Empty-Nets For The Win
The third period was all about who wanted it more, and the Jets dug deep. It took the Devils 13 minutes into the final frame just to get a shot on net, which tells you everything about Winnipeg’s defensive effort. Mercer, getting his second goal of the night, broke the tie on the power play at 11:58, putting the Jets up 3-2. Then, to really seal the deal, Kyle Connor potted an unassisted empty-net goal, making it 4-2 and securing the victory. This win extended Winnipeg’s own hot streak to four games.
What a night in Winnipeg, driven by an emotional crowd and some clutch scoring. Next up, the Devils will look to bounce back when they host the Washington Capitals on Thursday night. The Jets, riding high on this four-game tear, will head out to face the Dallas Stars, also on Thursday night. Get ready for more fireworks!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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