Jets Finally Break Through on Powerplay, Game 2 Curse Continues

Calgary Flames 2 – Winnipeg Jets 3

Scoring

Calgary Flames

1st: None

2nd: 11:29- Lindholm (1) (Unassisted), 17:29- Bennett (1) (Lucic, Hanifin)

3rd: None

Winnipeg Jets

1st: 7:18- Harkins (1) (Lowry, Roslovic)

2nd: 5:43- Lowry (1) (Roslovic, Morrissey)

3rd: 10:24 PPG- Ehlers (1) (Pionk, Connor)

Recap

In his 23rd career playoff game, the player drafted 5 spots after Sam Bennett finally scored his first career playoff goal for the Game 2 winner. Nikolaj Ehlers fought off Derek Forbort to tip home Neal Pionk’s shot on the Jets fourth powerplay of the afternoon.

The Jets came out strong in the wake of losing Mark Scheifele and Patrik Laine for Game 2, and it would be one of the inserted players that opened the scoring. Jansen Harkins slipped away from Dillon Dube in the neutral zone, and was in on a partial break on Cam Talbot. Harkins scored over the crook of Talbot’s arm for his first career playoff goal in his playoff debut.

The Flames failed to score on Connor Hellebuyck in the first period for the second straight game, and certainly didn’t look like the dominating team they were in Game 1. Adam Lowry extended the Jets lead to 2 off a slick batting effort right in front of Talbot.

Eventual hero Ehlers had a terrible giveaway in his own zone midway through the second, as Elias Lindholm picked off his pass and walked in for a post-and-in snipe on Hellebuyck.

The Flames weren’t done there, with Sam Bennett continuing his playoff dominance. His wraparound attempt bounced off of Nathan Beaulieu’s skate and in, for the tying goal before intermission.

Paul Maurice’s delusional whining paid off the expected dividends throughout the game. A net front scramble in the first lead to 2 Flames penalties, and zero Jets. Sam Bennett was given the sole penalty on a scuffle immediately after the winning goal. After Andrew Mangiapane was blatantly hooked in the neutral zone with 2 minutes remaining, he ended up receiving the sole penalty in another scuffle, and greatly hindered a last minute push for the Flames.

Game 3 happens almost immediately, going at 4:45 pm MST tomorrow.

Fast Facts:

-Tuesday’s game marked the 10th straight Game 2 loss for the Flames. The last Game 2 victory was a 4-1 win over the San Jose Sharks in the 2004 Western Conference Finals. Since then the Flames have lost in Game 2 to: Tampa Bay (2004, SCF), Anaheim (2006, R1), Detroit (2007, R1), San Jose (2008, R1), Chicago (2009, R1), Vancouver (2015, R1), Anaheim (2015, R2), Colorado (2019, R1), and of course Winnipeg (2020, SCQ)

-Adam Lowry now leads the series with 3 points through 2 games

-The Jets received another 6 PPs in this game, bringing their series total to 13 through 2 games

-Sam Bennett has 6 points in his last 7 playoff games

by Gordie Taylor