Winnipeg finally got on the board outdoors, but it wasn’t enough to stop the slide.
A late goal from Isak Rosen spared the Jets from another shutout in a home outdoor game, yet Montreal left Princess Auto Stadium with a 2-1 win in the 2026 Heritage Classic on Sunday night. The loss pushed Winnipeg deeper into its funk, with the club now on a five-game losing streak and six defeats in its last seven after opening 4-1-1.
Captain Adam Lowry summed up the night this way: “It was a spectacular spectacle," captain Adam Lowry said of the event. "It takes you back to youth hockey, it takes you back to growing up when you fell in love with the game. Obviously a disappointing result, but I thought the NHL and Winnipeg fans did a great job making it another great event.”
The first outdoor meeting in Winnipeg had a familiar feel for long stretches. Montreal came out flying, grabbing the first three shots of the game, and Alex Newhook had a clean breakaway chance in the opening period before missing the net. Winnipeg settled in late, though, and by the first intermission had edged the shot count 10-8.
The Canadiens kept pressing early in the second. Cole Caufield got behind the Jets on a breakaway feed from Juraj Slafkovsky, but he also missed the target. Montreal’s next couple of looks did find the net, though, and that was the difference.
Lane Hutson opened the scoring with a net-front tap-in that got the red-clad fans on their feet. Kaiden Guhle added the next one at 11:04 of the period, burying a shot from the point to make it 2-0 and leave Winnipeg chasing the game with roughly half a contest left.
“We got a pretty cool experience," said new guy, Dawson Mercer. "Definitely a weird situation to be thrown into but honestly a pretty special one that I’ll cherish. Obviously, the outcome is not what we wanted, but overall nice to get going with the guys right away, and then build off it from here.”
The Jets were flat through 40 minutes, lacking sharpness and imagination, and their power play did them no favors. Winnipeg had two opportunities with the extra man by the end of the second period and came up empty both times, continuing a theme that has haunted them.
They did get a pulse in the third. Rosen scored his first of the season on a cross-ice pass from Gabe Vilardi, cutting the deficit to one and giving the 32,343 in the building something to lean into. After 115 minutes of goalless hockey at the stadium, Winnipeg had finally broken through.
But the comeback never got all the way there. Josh Anderson’s tripping penalty with 1:32 remaining set up Winnipeg’s fourth power play of the day, and the Jets still couldn’t cash in. Montreal killed off every man-advantage chance, while Winnipeg finished 0-for-4.
For the second time in 3,654 days, the Jets were outscored in a home Heritage Classic, this time falling 2-1 in front of their own crowd.
Montreal got the night’s better goaltending too. Skinner stopped 19 of 21 shots, and Jacob Fowler made 34 saves on 35 attempts from Winnipeg.
The Jets now head back to Canada Life Centre for a Tuesday night matchup with the Florida Panthers before hitting the road for four straight next week.
In Other News...
Ducks Just Sent A Clear Early Message About Two Young Forwards
The goaltending chatter around Connor Hellebuyck never got far, but it still offered a glimpse at how Winnipeg views any major move involving its franchise netminder. Vegas made an inquiry, yet the Jets were never eager to send him to the West, and they wanted a goalie coming back in any deal. That combination is enough to explain why the conversation did not develop into something more serious, especially with the trade market for a top-tier goalie already so hard to navigate.
From Winnipegs standpoint, the list of potential partners only got thinner from there. Adin Hills no-trade protection limits the Golden Knights flexibility, and Carter Harts role as Vegas starter, along with his expiring contract, makes him a tricky fit in a deal of that magnitude. Meanwhile, the Jets will have Nino Niederreiter back in the lineup for the Heritage Classic after he recovered from a high-stick incident, giving them a more complete group for one of the seasons showcase games. [Read more 🡒]
Hurricanes Came Closer Than Fans Realized On Connor Hellebuyck
Connor Hellebuycks name was never just idle speculation around the league. According to Elliotte Friedman, several teams were in the mix on the Winnipeg goalie, including the Florida Panthers, Buffalo Sabres, Utah Mammoth and Carolina Hurricanes, with talks reaching a point where real frameworks were being discussed before they unraveled over timing, player-package issues and other moving parts.
For Winnipeg, the most interesting part is how close some of those conversations apparently came to mattering. Friedman said he does not have the full picture on every detail, but the market had enough traction that specific pieces started to become the real hurdles, from draft-pick complications with Buffalo to Carolinas unwillingness to part with certain key players. That is the sort of backdrop that reminds you how much noise can surround a star goalie before the trade window finally closes. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Let A Shorthanded Canadiens Team Steal The Heritage Classic
The Heritage Classic at Princess Auto Stadium had the sort of feel these outdoor games are supposed to have, with the temperature hovering around 3 C at puck drop and a crowd of 32,342 taking in a rivalry game that carried a little extra bite. Winnipeg had a chance to make the day count, but Montreal continued its recent run and came away with a 2-1 win in a game that fit the setting as much as it frustrated the home side.
For the Canadiens, the result also keeps the focus on how they navigate the stretch ahead with captain Nick Suzuki dealing with a hand injury. Montreal has now taken two straight, and while the outdoor win over the Jets will stand out as one of the seasons more memorable results, the bigger question for the Canadiens is how long they can keep the momentum going if Suzuki is limited. [Read more 🡒]