The Jets made a habit of living dangerously against Tampa Bay, but they still walked away with the two points.
Winnipeg built a 3-0 lead, then watched the Lightning rip off three quick goals to pull even. Just when it looked like the night was headed for a full collapse, Mark Scheifele buried a 5-on-3 power-play goal with 1.6 seconds left to seal a 4-3 win. It was the kind of finish that turns a messy game into a memorable one.
Brayden Yager also hit a personal milestone, scoring his first NHL goal. Viggo Björck added two assists for his first multi-point game. For Winnipeg, it all added up to a third straight victory after that nine-game losing streak.
The Jets will practice at noon, with a Practice Report to follow.
Elsewhere in the organization, the Moose are already in Texas after taking Sunday as a travel day following their weekend sweep of the defending Calder Cup champion Marlies. Their five-game road trip begins with a practice at 2 PM in Cedar Park as they get ready for a Central Division matchup with the Stars on Tuesday night.
The main question is whether Walker Duehr, who is dealing with an illness, and Noah Gregor, who is nicked up, made the trip. There’s also uncertainty around veteran defenceman Ashton Sautner and forward Tyson Empey, with both players being monitored to see if they’re healthy enough to return to practice.
There was also movement in the prospect pipeline. Jets prospect Alexandre Taillefer, selected 2026 5th, scored the overtime winner for Quebec, giving him his third goal of the season.
The left-shot defenceman has already tied his career high in goals, and he’s done it in 24 fewer games. He now sits at 3G 11A for 14 points in 16 games.
But the biggest off-ice storyline from Sunday night wasn’t Winnipeg’s wild win or even Connor Hellebuyck recording his first shutout with New Jersey. It was the Devils announcing that their star netminder will not play against his former team in Winnipeg on Tuesday night.
GM Sunny Mehta explained the decision in a statement, while Hellebuyck spoke to the media after his team played in Toronto about being held out of the lineup. The timing of the announcement raised eyebrows and only added more attention to what was already shaping up to be a highly anticipated return to Winnipeg.
That decision has already become one of the major talking points around the team, and it’s sure to stay that way heading into Tuesday.
Meanwhile, there’s plenty to chew on around the Jets’ latest escape act. Scheifele’s late winner gave Winnipeg another clutch finish, and the team’s knack for finding goals at the buzzer is becoming part of the story. At the same time, the third period against Tampa Bay served as a reminder that even a strong start can unravel fast if a game gets away from them.
There’s no shortage of material for today’s Daily Dose of IC Hockey, with the Jets’ dramatic finish and the Devils’ decision on Hellebuyck giving the conversation plenty of fuel.
In Other News...
Flames Blue Line Loss Leaves Craig Conroy Facing A Tough Choice
Kevin Bahls season-ending injury has left the Flames staring at a thin blue line and a difficult roster decision, with Calgary now weighing whether to lean on youth or look for a short-term defensive fix. Losing a regular defender this deep into the season changes the math quickly, and it puts general manager Craig Conroy in the familiar spot of having to balance immediate stability against longer-term caution.
For a Jets team that knows how quickly a lineup hole can ripple through a season, the situation is a reminder that one injury can force an organization to rethink everything around it. Calgary has options to consider, but none of them come with much comfort, and the next move could say plenty about how aggressively the Flames plan to chase the rest of the year. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Rookies Just Changed The Feel Of This Winning Streak
The Jets have spent the past few games getting an added lift from their rookies, and it has changed the tone around a team that badly needed a reset. Tyrel Bauer, Viggo Bjorck and Brayden Yager all hit NHL milestones in quick succession, with Bauer and Bjorck each making their first real mark on the scoresheet and Yager following with his own breakthrough moment. For a club that was trying to shake off a rough stretch, those developments mattered beyond the individual celebrations.
Bjorcks first NHL points came in a multi-point game, while Bauers first goal and assist arrived during a comeback that gave Winnipeg a jolt of energy when it needed it most. Yager then added another rookie highlight by scoring his first NHL goal, giving the streak a different feel than a typical run of wins. The larger question now is whether these young players can keep nudging the Jets forward as the games get bigger and the margin for error gets smaller. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Made A Connor Hellebuyck Call Fans Wont Love
Connor Hellebuycks first trip back to Winnipeg with the Devils had the makings of a meaningful night, the kind of game that tends to carry a little extra weight for both a player and the fan base that watched him grow into one of the NHLs elite goaltenders. Instead, the setup shifted before puck drop, with New Jersey choosing a different direction in net and leaving the return storyline hanging in the air.
For Jets fans, it was the sort of decision that naturally stirs debate because Hellebuycks connection to the city has always been part of the conversation around him. A return game in Winnipeg would have offered a full-circle moment, but the Devils opted not to give him that stage, and the reaction around it made clear the night lost some of its edge before it even began. [Read more 🡒]