Epic comeback ignited by Laine hat trick

WINNIPEG – It was only fitting that it is Heritage Classic week and a lot of the Winnipeg Jets Alumni were already in town and in attendance to see what has the makings of another magical rookie season from a Finnish hockey player. The Winnipeg Jets spotted the Toronto Maple Leafs a 4-0 lead before roaring back for an exciting 5-4 overtime win.

The young Jets are making slow starts a bad habit at home as they battled back in their WPG Jets logoseason opener as well.

It was the battle of the top two picks in this past summer’s draft as number one pick Auston Matthews was in town to face Patrik Laine of the Jets who was the number two pick. Matthews had the four-goal debut in his season opener and has been in spotlight a bit more although Laine was just waiting for his breakout game and tonight was the night .

Laine scored his second ,third  and fourth of the season to record the hat trick and lead his Jets to a huge come back victory.

Laine got things rolling early in the third period as he buried a wrist shot . His next two were very dramatic as he tied the game with a laser beam one timer set up by Nikolaj Ehlers with the net empty.

Then in OT  he was set up by Dustin Byfuglien and went upstairs with an absolute rocket to send the Jets faithful into a mad frenzy of throwing hats and screaming with joy.

Earlier in OT Matthews went in alone and was robbed by Jets goalie Michael Hutchinson and then the Jets turned up ice and scored the winner.

Hutchinson made 36 saves to get the win and after being down 4-0 he kept his team alive with numerous big stops.

Other Jets scorers were Tyler Myers and Mark Scheifele.

The Leafs got a pair from Nazem Kadri in a losing effort. Matthews made a nifty pass to set up William Nylander and had seven shots on net.

Frederik Anderson made 29 saves in the loss for Toronto.

The Jets will now have to wait until Sunday afternoon when they face the Edmonton Oilers in the Heritage Classic outdoor game being played at IG Field in one of the biggest weekends in the history of hockey in Manitoba.

Follow me on Twitter @hrank94

 

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