Skip to content

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

Jets 6 Oilers 5
24239289_web1_210215-RDA-Oilers-Jets_1
Edmonton Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse (25) is punched by Winnipeg Jets forward Adam Lowry (17) as they fight during first period NHL action in Edmonton on Monday. (Photo by The Canadian Press)

Jets 6 Oilers 5

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.

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.