The Winnipeg Jets (21-9-0) got back in the win column, doing so in dominant fashion with an 8-1 win over the Boston Bruins (15-12-3) on home ice.
The Jets, having lost 4-1 to the Columbus Blue Jackets in their last time out, started off this game quite good, controlling play and generating more chances than the Bruins in the first 20 minutes. Winnipeg out-shot the Bruins 14-9, but more importantly, scored a pair of goals – Vladislav Namestnikov (7th goal) on the power play and Mark Scheifele (15th goal) to take an early two-goal lead into the first intermission.
Boston bounced back slightly in the middle frame, evening the shots at eight apiece through the second period. However, Mark Scheifele found himself wide open in the faceoff dot on another Jets power play to blast home a one-timer goal for his second of the game and 16th of the season to give Winnipeg a three-goal advantage. Boston answered only two minutes later with a power play marker of their own as David Pastrnak scored from his patented spot on the ice, a one-time bomb from the left circle for his tenth goal of the season to cut the lead back to two.
Related: Jets Recall Nikita Chibrikov and Send Down Brad Lambert
An already entertaining game became even more entertaining with a slight addition of chaos in the third period. Less than two minutes in, Nikita Zadorov and Brad Marchand teamed up for a poorly attempted breakout that led to a defensive zone turnover. Scheifele jumped on the loose puck, drove the zone down low and fed a wide-open Kyle Connor in the slot for Connor’s 16th goal of the season, ending any hope of Boston regaining momentum and starting what would become an onslaught.
Mark Scheifele is on a TEAR tonight… This dish to Kyle Connor puts the Jets back up by three!#NHL pic.twitter.com/DjpmWHIXm1
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 11, 2024
Before the halfway point of the period, Winnipeg added two more goals to the scoresheet. Gabriel Vilardi (12th goal) and Alex Iafallo (5th goal) on the man-advantage quickly made it a 6-1 Jets lead, kickstarting a downward spiral by Boston. Trent Frederic one-punched David Gustafsson which was followed by Mark Kastelic dropping the gloves with Logan Stanley. A few plays later, Adam Lowry and Zadorov fought – adding to the tempers. Bruins interim head coach Joe Sacco and Jets head coach Scott Arniel were verbally fighting too.
Mason Appleton and Nikita Chibrikov scored ten seconds apart in the final five minutes to add salt to the wound and bury the Bruins with a final score of 8-1.
Winnipeg will continue their homestand on Dec. 12 with a game against the Vegas Golden Knights while Boston continues their five-game road trip on the same day with a game in Seattle against the Kraken.
