OTTAWA – For anybody who wasn’t a fan of the new overtime format of 3-on-3 hockey if they caught this game Thursday they may have changed their minds. Absolutely some of the most entertaining hockey of the season as these two teams, the Winnipeg Jets and Ottawa Senators, went toe-to-toe with some great scoring chances before a shootout decided this one as Ottawa edged the Jets 3-2.
“We were emotionally involved in the game tonight against a real good Winnipeg team that put us back on our heels a couple of times,” Senators coach Dave Cameron said. “We found a way to win a good hockey game against a good team.”
The Winnipeg Jets grabbed five of a possible eight points on this trip and will now head home for a quick Saturday night match with the Flyers before heading out for a five-game Western swing with Central Division rivals.
Both goaltenders put on a clinic tonight as Michael Hutchinson stopped 29 of 31 shots for the Jets but couldn’t finish them off in the shootout as he was beaten 3 times. He did make some highlight reel stops on Bobby Ryan late in overtime before Ryan solved him in the shootout.
Craig Anderson was named the game’s first star as he made 38 saves including numerous off the stick of Jets center Bryan Little who could have at least four goals Thursday night. Anderson was flashing the glove late as he stoned Mark Sheifele with less than ten seconds to go in OT.
Ottawa got goals from Cody Ceci his second and Bobby Ryan his fifth. They also scored on all three attempts in the shootout Ryan, Kyle Turris, Mika Zibanejad all found a leak in the Hutchinson wall for Winnipeg.
“Establishing home ice for us is huge,” Turris said. “We’ve been talking lots lately about having energy at home, and getting off to a good start, and being into the game. It was something we did a much better job of tonight.”
Jets got goals from Captain Andrew Ladd his fourth and Dustin Byfuglien also sniped his fourth of the year.
“Past that, [Byfuglien] was the best player on the ice tonight, the most dominant force, and he’s been like that for a while,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said. “Right after [playing the New York Rangers on Oct. 13], probably [against the Calgary Flames] at home when we got back off that first trip, he’s been as good as I’ve ever seen him play.
“He’s been good for a while. It’s harder to see one player dominate a game. We went a run of Tampa [Bay], L.A., St. Louis, Chicago, so it’s hard for a guy to kind of elevate against the way he has — it’s nothing to do with Ottawa — it’s just when you’re playing big, strong, physical teams, you notice [him]. He’s at both ends of the rink now. He’s just moving faster, moving quicker.”
Winnipeg hung around and showed some heavy legs for the first part of the game but then dominated the third and overtime periods but couldn’t beat Anderson who stole the extra point away for sure.
Dustin Byfuglien had another monster game for the Jets playing just under 30 minutes scoring the tying goal and throwing numerous big hits was named the games third star.
Winnipeg will get home do some laundry play Philly and pack up again and get ready for some more heavy battles next week against some division rivals.
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