Ehlers Breaks Winnipeg Hearts in His Old Building as Hurricanes Win Seventh Straight
Nikolaj Ehlers' third-period power-play goal — his first of the season, scored against the team he spent a decade with — lifted Carolina to a 3-2 win over the Jets at Canada Life Centre.
The Carolina Hurricanes keep finding ways, and on Saturday the way was a familiar face in an unfamiliar sweater. Nikolaj Ehlers, who played 10 seasons in Winnipeg, hammered a power-play slap shot from the high slot at 6:43 of the third period to beat the Jets 3-2 — his first goal of the season, and the one that pushed Carolina's winning streak to seven games, per NHL.com. "Extremely special," Ehlers called scoring in the building he long called home.
The Hurricanes improved to 7-1-1 despite missing forwards Seth Jarvis, Taylor Hall and Jordan Staal to injury. Winnipeg fell to 4-2-2 and has now dropped three of four.
Twice in front, twice reeled in
After a scoreless first period, the Jets led twice and couldn't hold either lead. Mark Scheifele opened with a backhand off a Carolina turnover at 4:23 of the second; Mark Jankowski answered on the power play at 8:19, stretching his goal streak to six games — tied for the third-longest in Hurricanes history. Alex Iafallo restored Winnipeg's lead with a tap-in at 10:59 after Adam Lowry stripped the puck from goalie Pyotr Kochetkov, but Jesperi Kotkaniemi tied it again at 16:50, tipping a Shayne Gostisbehere point shot. Gostisbehere finished with two assists.
Kochetkov made 21 saves to move to a perfect 5-0-0; Winnipeg's Clay Stevenson stopped 34 in the loss.
The special-teams margin
Both Carolina comebacks and the winner ran through the power play, and Jets coach Scott Arniel didn't hide from it: "We gave up two power-play goals." Carolina's bench had a simpler story — Rod Brind'Amour called Jankowski "a guy we can rely on in every situation."
The Hurricanes carry the streak straight into a Sunday date in Calgary. Winnipeg gets its shot at revenge soon: Arniel noted the Jets "see (Carolina) again at the start of November."