Connor Hat Trick powers Jets past Anaheim Featured

Written by  Published in Winnipeg Jets
Winnipeg, Manitoba (NHN)-Kyle Connor's third goal of the game with 53.5 seconds remaining in regulation proved to be the game winner as the Winnipeg Jets edged the Anaheim Ducks by a 3-2 score Thursday night.

The Jet winger fired all three goals for his club, who won for the 8th time in their last ten games.

Connor one timed a Mark Scheifele feed from the side of the net after the Jet centre coralled the puck off the end boards after defenceman Neal Pionk banked a slap pass off the end boards.

Connor slapped the disc past Ducks goaltender John Gibson, beating him low stick side to give the Jets the win.

The goal was his 5th of the season.

Connor Hellebuyck stopped 29 shots for Winnipeg, who Troy Terry and Trevor Zegras scored for Anaheim.

Cam Fowler had a pair of assists for the Ducks.

John Gibson made 29 saves for Anaheim, who dropped to 5-11-1.

The game started well for the Ducks, who struck first 10:17 into the first period on a delayed penalty call.

Troy Terry scored on a wrister as he moved in from the left point and drifted a shot past Hellebuyck, which he managed to get a piece of.

Ducks defenceman Cam Fowler and Terry cycled the puck before Fowler fed Terry at the left point before he moved in and scored.

Winnipeg tied the game 12:32 into the second on the power play when Connor worked a give-and-go with Josh Morrissey before curling on his backhand toward the right side boards and hit Pierre-Luc Dubois with a crisp pass just outside the crease.

Dubois got a shot on goal before Connor cruised in and snapped the rebound past Gibson with Dubois providing a screen.

The goal was his 8th of the season.

Connor scored again 14:15 into the 3rd when he converted Sam Gagner's backhand pass from behind the net, slamming the disc past Gibson to give the Jets a one goal lead.

Winnipeg's lead was short lived as Trevor Zegras tied the game 27 seconds later when Adam Henrique and Zegras worked a give-and-go perfectly, that started when Zegras hit his teammate with a stretch pass at the Jet blueline before Henrique glided across and returned the feed with a soft pass Zegras skated into.

The Anaheim forward made no mistake, snapping the puck past Hellebuyck, beating him high blocker side to tie the game at 2.

The goal was his 8th of the season.

Anaheim visits St. Louis Saturday while Winnipeg hosts Pittsburgh.

SHOTS-ANAHEIM 31 WINNIPEG 32

ATTENDANCE-14,278

Last modified on Friday, 18 November 2022 04:24
Philip Paul-Martin

A well rounded journalist with experience in both print and broadcast mediums, Philip has written news stories with impact, broken national news while at the CBC, anchored radio news and hosted talk show radio. His coverage includes feature writing, game stories and more in-depth pieces during the off-season as well as writing about the National Hockey League and the Winnipeg Jets. He calls Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada home.