WINNIPEG — Kyle Connor and Josh Morrissey each extended his point streak to 10 games, and the Winnipeg Jets defeated the Ottawa Senators 5-1 at Canada Life Center on Tuesday.
Connor, who had two goals and an assist, has 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists) during his point streak. Morrissey, who had a goal and an assist, has 13 points (one goal, 12 assists) during his point streak and extended his assist streak to 10 games.
“Josh has that ability with his hockey IQ, he’s one step ahead of what’s going to happen next,” Winnipeg coach Rick Bowness said. “That’s why he’s able to read the play, break up plays, get there first, his gaps, all those things, it’s his ability to stay one step ahead. Any elite player in any sport has that high IQ for that sport, and he certainly has it.”
Video: OTT@WPG: Morrissey moves around a defender and scores
Pierre-Luc Dubois and Axel Jonsson-Fjallby each had two assists for the Jets (21-10-1) who have won three of the past four games and are 10-4-0 in their past 14.
David Rittich made 35 saves in his eighth start of the season. He made consecutive starts for the first time this season Connor Hellebuyck not playing because of a non-COVID illness.
“[Rittich] has been fantastic for us,” Morrissey said. “He’s the kind of guy who can steal a game for you and put out a great performance. It’s not an easy job when you’re playing sporadically. You get a lot of the second night on back to backs where the team’s tired and situations like that. And he’s just been fantastic. He brings a lot of energy to the room, and when he’s been in net, he’s been unbelievable.”
Drake Batherson scored to extend his point streak to nine games, and Cam Talbot made 19 saves for the Senators (14-16-2), who have lost two in a row and are 8-4-1 in their past 13.
“Not good enough, bottom line,” Talbot said. “We weren’t ready to start and they made us pay early. They play so well defensively, take away the middle of the ice, don’t give up a ton off the rush. They play a pretty good five-man game, and you can’t get behind early against a team like that because they can clog up the middle, and when you give them opportunities they can put them in the back of the net, which they showed tonight.”
Kevin Stenlund scored his first goal of the season to give Winnipeg a 1-0 lead at 1:58 of the first period when he received a pass from below the goal line by David Gustafsson before batting in his own rebound out of mid-air.
“[The pass] was perfect,” Stenlund said. “Great forecheck. Sometimes it’s maybe good to lose a face-off. [Gustafsson and Jonsson-Fjallby] did a really good job on the goal.”
Video: OTT@WPG: Stenlund swats puck out of the air and in
Morrissey made it 2-0 at 6:58, cutting around Batherson before scoring with a wrist shot from the left face-off circle.
Batherson then cut it to 2-1 at 8:28 with a one-timer from the edge of the left circle on a power play.
“I thought we responded well tonight,” Morrissey said. “I don’t know if it was necessarily a Picasso out there, but we found a way to win. It’s not always going to be pretty. It’s not always going to be your perfect game.”
Sam Gagner restored the two-goal lead with an extra attacker on during a delayed penalty, scoring with a low-angle wrist shot from the right circle to make it 3-1 at 19:47.
“Right from the get-go just weren’t sharp,” Ottawa coach DJ Smith said. “No execution on breakouts, turnovers. The first (Jets) goal, just not hard enough, just lose battles and it’s in the back of the net. You get too far behind and the game’s over.”
Connor made it 4-1 at 1:02 of the second period after stopping a Morrissey slap pass with his skate before scoring backdoor.
“When it’s there, I’ll try to use it [that type of pass],” Morrissey said. “Both times just loaded up to shoot it and saw there was a better option backdoor. Maybe next time I shoot it, who knows? But if a guy is there, I’ll try to make that pass.”
Connor extended it to 5-1 at 14:23 with a one-timer in the slot after receiving a backhand pass by Dubois from behind the net.
Video: OTT@WPG: Connor buries shot from slot for second
NOTES: Batherson has 13 points (six goals, seven assists) during a nine-game point streak. … Talbot lost for the first time in five starts (4-1-0). … Morrissey has 38 points (six goals, 32 assists) in 32 games, surpassing his previous career high set last season in 79 games. … Dubois has seven points (one goal, six assists) during a three-game point streak. … Ottawa forward Alex DeBrincat had one assist in his 400th NHL game. … Jets defenseman Ville Heinola was plus-1 in 15:39 of ice time after being recalled Friday from Manitoba of the American Hockey League. … Winnipeg goalie Arvid Holm served as the backup after being an emergency recall earlier Tuesday.
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