WINNIPEG — Kyle Connor scored 1:45 into overtime to give the Winnipeg Jets a 3-2 win against the Montreal Canadiens at Canada Life Center on Thursday.
Connor scored from the glove side after the left circle Mark Scheifele left him the puck in the high slot.
“Three-on-three, you want to create little 2-on-1s all over the ice,” Connor said. “A lot of times you do that by crossing and dropping. If they’re sagging off, you can cross in front of them and try to make them make a decision.”
The goal was Connor’s second in 10 games this season after he had 47 in 79 games in 2021-22.
“We’ve got such a good group and build each other up in situations where guys are dealing with that,” Connor said. “For me, I just lean on them a lot. It starts with our leaders.”
Video: MTL@WPG: Connor fires home OT winner from circle
Pierre-Luc Dubois had a goal and an assist for the Jets (6-3-1), who extended their point streak to five games (4-0-1). Connor Hellebuyck made 20 saves.
“There is adversity in games, if you’re down a goal or what have you, you’ve got to stay in it,” Winnipeg forward Blake Wheeler said. “Even after going down 1-0, I thought our start to the game was much better than it has been for a little bit. It could have been 1-0 the other way. We just stuck with it and then got a big power -play goal to get us in the game, and then just kept chipping away.”
Nick Suzuki had a goal and an assist, and Cole Caufield had two assists for the Canadiens (5-5-1), who have lost two straight and four of six (2-3-1). Sam Montembeault made 33 saves.
“Considering all the (penalty) kills we had to execute, I was happy to be in that situation in the third, being tied going into the third and getting an opportunity on the power play,” Montreal coach Martin St. Louis said. “I thought we got some good looks. Unfortunately, we just got the extra point. But overall, pretty pleased.”
Suzuki gave Montreal a 1-0 lead at 6:43 of the first period. He took a backhand between-the-legs touch pass from Caufield at the blue line, skated around the Jets defenseman. Dylan DeMeloand chipped a shot over Hellebuyck, who had attempted a poke check.
“Very nice,” Suzuki said. “He said it was just between his legs. I don’t remember that. I just remember getting it. I was able to get by the [defenseman]”
Video: MTL@WPG: Suzuki speeds in and chips the puck home
Dubois tied it 1-1 at 17:28 with a wrist shot from the glove side on a power play from the left circle.
Winnipeg finished the game 1-for-5 on the power play. Montreal was 0-for-2.
“It was pretty even all the way through,” Suzuki said. “I think they had a lot more power plays than us, and that kind of drained some of our guys’ energy, killing a lot of big kills. I think if we didn’t have that many penalty kills, I think our 5- on-5 game was good tonight and could have changed the game.”
Kirby Dach put Montreal back in front 2-1 at 4:54 of the second period on a rebound near the right post.
Wheeler tied it 2-2 at 5:35 when he knocked in a rebound while falling down in the crease after battling for position with a Canadiens defenseman. Johnathan Kovacevic.
Video: MTL@WPG: Wheeler swipes a loose puck into the net
St. Louis challenged the play for goaltender interference, but the call stood after a video review.
“The puck was just behind me, I turned around and tried to put my hand on it, and he pushed me like he would have with a D-man,” Montembeault said. “But he pushed me out of my crease and he had an easy tap-in after that.”
Said Wheeler: “The puck was lying behind the goalie. I’ve got to be able to go get it, so I didn’t feel like I was in his way of making the save. After watching it, too … the contact was because I was pushed in, so I felt pretty good about it.”
NOTES: Wheeler’s goal was his 299th in the NHL. … Canadiens defensemen Joel Edmundson had one hit and four blocks in 21:07 of ice time in his season debut. He missed the first 10 games because of a lower-back injury. … Suzuki has scored in three straight games. … Caufield has seven points (three goals, four assists) in his past five games. … Dach has four points (one goal, three assists) on a three-game point streak. … Connor’s goal on Scheifele’s assist was his first this season.
.