Winnipeg Jets douse Calgary Flames to even up qualifying series

EDMONTON – The Winnipeg Jets recovered from a gaffe and bad luck to edge the Calgary Flames 3-2 on Monday and draw even in their
qualifying-round series.

Nikolaj Ehlers broke a 2-2 tie with a goal at 10:24 of the third period, and the Jets held on to even the best-of-five series at 1-1.

Adam Lowry led the Jets with a goal and an assist.

Nikolaj Ehlers scored the eventual winner in the third period, rookie Jansen Harkins also scored for Winnipeg and Jack Roslovic contributed a pair of assists.

Ehler’s goal was his first in 23 post-season games. He redirected a Neal Pionk shot from the point at 10:24 of the third

“Did you say it’s been years?” the winger asked. “It felt great.

“That’s not usually my spot on the power play. You’ve got to get in where it hurts a little and I was able to do that today.”

Vezina Trophy finalist Connor Hellebuyck made 28 saves for the win.

Despite forwards Mark Scheifele and Patrik Laine out of the lineup today, Nikolaj Ehlers’ first post-season goal ultimately won the game for his team.

Elias Lindholm and Sam Bennett scored for the Flames. Calgary starter Cam Talbot stopped 23 shots in the loss.

After scoring a pair of power-play goals in Saturday’s 4-1 win, the Flames were held scoreless on six chances.

“I thought they did a good job on their penalty kill. They were hungry, they won an awful lot of loose pucks so we couldn’t get into sets.”

The Jets were forced into wholesale line changes Monday in their absences as well as centre Mason Appleton’s.

“I’m proud that we won the game in the manner that we did with the injuries that we had,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said.

“It will give the people that are not familiar to our season a little glimpse of what we’ve been doing all year.”

Winnipeg’s win buys time for Scheifele and Laine to perhaps return in the series.

“We’ll see how they come to the rink tomorrow,” Maurice said.

Scheifele injured his left leg tangling with Calgary’s Matthew Tkachuk and Laine appeared to hurt his wrist in a third-period collision with Flames captain Mark Giordano on Saturday.

Tkachuk denied intent, but the dispute simmered into Monday with the Jets insisting it was a dirty play and the Flames defending their player.

Winnipeg controlled the first half of the game, leading 2-0 until a defensive-zone turnover by Ehlers and an own-goal by the Jets knotted the score.

Ehler’s goal ended a 0-for-10 drought for the Jets’ power play in the series.

But Calgary couldn’t produce another equalizer, even with Talbot pulled and Jets centre Andrew Copp serving a slashing penalty in the final 22 seconds.

A Bennett rebound on an attempted wraparound deflected off the skate and stick of Jets defenceman Nathan Beaulieu and under Hellebuyck at 17:29 of the second period.

Game three between the two teams is Tuesday at 4:45 p.m. in Edmonton