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Nikolaj Ehlers return worth the wait as Jets complete comeback |
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Nikolaj Ehlers last appeared in a game for the Jets on Apr. 24, a 4-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
He scored the Jets’ lone goal in the loss.
Ehlers finally returned to the Jets lineup Sunday night, the Jets holding a 2-0 series lead in their opening round best-of-seven series with the Edmonton Oilers.
Missing game action for nearly 30 days, a little rust would have been expected from Ehlers. If there was any rust to his game, he didn’t show it. His second period goal that gave the Jets their first goal of the game would have be welcoming enough.
But what he did in overtime? Well, that’s a whole other story.
In fact, a dream come true.
After the Jets scored three times in the third period in a span of 3:03—erasing a three-goal deficit, Ehlers completed the comeback with his overtime winner.
"You always dream of scoring these kinds of goals. But, for me, tonight, it was a matter of getting out there, playing simple and use my speed as much as possible,” said Ehlers. “But you know, this was a team effort. A full, I don't know how many minutes we played, but a full 70-plus good effort. Great game and it's exciting.”
For most of the game, the Jets looked like they were finally in trouble.
After keeping the Oilers dangerous one-two punch scoreless through the first two games, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl combined for six points on the Oilers first three goals, two of which were scored by Draisaitl.
The momentum of the game completely swayed in the Jets favor when Josh Archibald sent Logan Stanley to the ice with a dangerous hit, being assessed a penalty on the play. Archibald was suspended Monday for one game, missing Monday’s elimination Game 4.
On the power play, Mathieu Perreault made it 4-2 Oilers.
Blake Wheeler made it 4-3.
Josh Morrissey tied it 4-4.
“It’s just too damn bad our fans weren’t in the building because that would have been something,” said Wheeler.
Damn you COVID.
Once Perreault struck to make it a two-goal game, you could see the confidence in the Oilers game sucked right out of them. Yes, they still had a two-goal lead, but the Jets brought such energy, and such a desire to win, it felt like no deficit was too large.
A knockout punch if you will. Now, they'll look foe TKO Monday night.
“That’s our team. I mean, we don’t give up. That’s what’s so fun playing on this team and after the OT winner you can see the joy. I mean, it’s a wonder no one got injured at the end there during the celebration,” said Ehlers.
“But it’s awesome. And it’s, like I said, the boys don’t give up. We showed a battle at the end and it paid off."
Remember when the Jets entered the playoffs with three wins in their final 12 games? Ha, what a difference a playoff series, and a whole new season makes.
While the Jets victories over the Vancouver Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs to end the season may not have impacted standings and seeding at all, it did something inside the Jets locker room.
Something special indeed.
The Jets will have come off their high of their Game 3 victory with Game 4 quickly scheduled for Monday night.
Looking to keep their emotions in check and earn what is always the hardest one to get, head coach Paul Maurice faces the challenge of getting his team quickly ready for the second leg of a back-to-back.
He knows they’ll see the Oilers best.
Their season depends on it.
"I've never done the back-to-back in the NHL in the playoffs, so this is going to be a new event, said Maurice.
“We're going to do our best to recover now to get ready to understand that it will be (the Oilers) backs against the wall, the best they have, a really, really hard push from that team."
Winnipeg Jets Blogger • 
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