By Canadian Press

Wheeler’s third-period goal earns Winnipeg Jets exciting 6-5 win over Edmonton Oilers

Feb 15, 2021 | 10:02 PM

EDMONTON — Captain Blake Wheeler’s goal early in the third proved to be the winner as the Winnipeg Jets held on for a 6-5 road victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Monday night.

Wheeler’s fifth goal of the season at 6:22 of the third put Winnipeg ahead after Edmonton rallied from a 4-1 deficit to the the score 5-5. The Jets (9-5-1) got back into the win column after dropping a 2-1 decision to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night.

Winnipeg goalie Connor Helleybuck improved to 9-1-1 in his last 11 starts versus Edmonton, which outshot the Jets 45-24. Hellebuyck came up big on Oilers captain Connor McDavid with a minute to play and the goaltender on the bench.

Mark Scheifele had a goal and two assists for Winnipeg while Kyle Connor, Mason Appleton, Nikolaj Ehlers and Mathieu Perreault also scored.

Alex Chiasson and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins both scored twice for Edmonton (9-8-0), which lost for the first time in four games. Kailer Yamamoto had the other.

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Winnipeg improved to 2-1 against Edmonton this season. The two teams meet again Wednesday night.

Scheifele opened the scoring on the power play at 6:30 of the first when he took a nice cross-ice pass from Wheeler and fired a shot past Mike Smith for his seventh of the season.

Smith got the start after stopping 38 shots in Edmonton’s 3-0 win over Montreal on Thursday night. It was Smith’s 40th career shutout.

Chiasson made it 1-1 at 11:03 with his first of the season before Winnipeg went back ahead 2-1 on Connor’s eighth, unassisted at 12:50 as Edmonton outshot the Jets 14-8 in the frame.

Winnipeg chased Smith from the game early in the second. Appleton made it 3-1 for the Jets with his fourth just 49 seconds into the period before Ehlers registered his 10th at 2:31.

That sent Smith, who surrendered four goals on 11 shots, to the Edmonton bench in favour of Mikko Koskinen.

Edmonton pulled to within 4-3 on goals from Nugent-Hopkins, his sixth on the power play at 9:12, and Yamomoto’s deflection for his fifth at 12:57. Perreault scored his third at 14:15 to put the Jets up 5-3 before Chiasson registered his second of the game at 17:39 as the Oilers outshot the visitors 22-9.

Nugent-Hopkins made it 5-5 with his second of the game and seventh of the year 2:55 into the third.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb.15, 2021.

The Canadian Press