WINNIPEG JETS NOTES:
Scene Setter
The Winnipeg Jets continue a three-game road trip on Friday night when they visit the Anaheim Ducks in Winnipeg’s second game in as many nights. The Jets started the trip with a 2-1 win against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night. After Friday’s game, the Jets close the trip by facing the Arizona Coyotes on Sunday before returning to Winnipeg for a four-game homestand next week.
Among the Best
The Jets lead the Western Conference and are second in the NHL with a .702 points percentage this season… Winnipeg has points in 10 consecutive games (8-0-2), which is a franchise record… The Jets are 20-5-2 in their past 27 games, which includes winning streaks of three, four and five games… The Jets have lost consecutive games in regulation just three times this season.
Stingy
The Jets are second in the NHL this season by allowing only 2.43 goals against per game… Winnipeg has not allowed more than three goals against in 27 consecutive games, which is a franchise record streak… It’s only the second time in the past decade that a team has allowed three goals or less in at least 26 consecutive games (Minnesota – 35 – Jan. 27-Apr. 9/15)… The Jets are first in the league this season with 33 games of holding their opponent to three goals or less and have a 24-7-2 record in those games… Winnipeg has allowed two goals or less in 14 of their past 15 games, including seven consecutive games.
Even Strength-Strength
At 5-on-5, the Jets lead the NHL with a 1.70 goals for-to-goals against ratio… The Jets have allowed just 50 goals at 5-on-5 this season, which is the fewest in the NHL… Winnipeg is on pace to allow 111 goals at 5-on-5 this season, which would be the fourth fewest in a season since the stat has been tracked since the 2009-10 season.
Against the Pacific
The Jets are 4-6-0 against the Pacific Division this season… Four of the six losses were Winnipeg’s first four regulation losses of the season… Mark Scheifele (6G, 5A) leads the Jets in scoring against the Pacific Division with 11 points in 10 games… Winnipeg went 13-8-3 against the Pacific Division last season.
Road Record
The Jets are 11-4-2 on the road this season, including winning nine of their past 12 road contests… Josh Morrissey has a team-leading 14 points (4G, 10A) in 17 road games… Kyle Connor, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Nino Niederreiter have a team best seven goals on the road… The Jets went 20- 20-1 on the road last season.
Back-to-Back
The Jets are playing their fourth of seven back-to-backs this season this week… The Jets are 3-1-0 in the first game and 3-0-0 in the second game this season… The Jets were an even 9-4-0 in the first half and second half of back-to-back sets last season.
Resiliency
Despite giving up the game’s first goal, the Jets won their ninth game of the season on Thursday when trailing first… The Jets are 9-7-3 when giving up the game’s first goal… Winnipeg has allowed the first goal of the game in each of their past three games, which are all victories… It was Winnipeg’s ninth comeback win this season.
Tenders
The Jets are second in the NHL with a team save percentage of .916… Connor Hellebuyck is fifth in the league with a .921 save percentage, while Laurent Brossoit has a .912 save percentage in nine games… The duo have combined for a .941 save percentage during Winnipeg’s past six games… Hellebuyck was named the NHL’s Third Star of the Month for December on Tuesday after going 8-0-2 with a 1.89 goals-against average and .935 save percentage… Hellebuyck is 9-0-2 in his past 11 games, which is the longest unbeaten streak by a goaltender in franchise history… It was announced on Thursday that Hellebuyck will represent the Jets at the 2024 NHL All-Star Game.
Fourth Line Production
The Jets fourth line of Morgan Barron, Dominic Toninato and Axel Jonsson-Fjallby have scored in five consecutive games… Toninato made his season debut last Wednesday and has a goal and three assists in five games, including the game-winning goal on Sunday against Minnesota… Barron has five points (3G, 2A) in his past five games, including scoring his eighth goal of the season on Thursday, which matches a career high… Jonsson-Fjallby has four points (2G, 2A) in his past seven games.
On the Plus Side
Jets defenceman Dylan DeMelo is tied for the NHL lead with a plus-25 rating this season, while Josh Morrissey is third at plus-22… DeMelo has been a career-best plus-10 in each of the past three seasons… Morrissey’s best season came in 2017-18 when he was a plus-15… The franchise record for plus/minus is a season is plus-26, which was done by Blake Wheeler in 2014-15.
OT
The Jets are 2-4 in overtime and shootouts this season, including 2-3 in games decided in overtime… The Jets went 10-3 in overtime (9-2) and shootouts (1-1) last season, which led the NHL with an .769 winning percentage… Six of Winnipeg’s nine OT winners came in the first two minutes of the extra session… Mark Scheifele holds the franchise record with 13 OT winning goals… During the past four seasons, Winnipeg is 22-12 in games decided in overtime
ANAHEIM DUCKS NOTES:
TONIGHT’S GAME: The Anaheim Ducks continue a season-long eight-game homestand with the penultimate contest tonight vs. the Winnipeg Jets at Honda Center (7 p.m. PT, TV: Bally Sports West, AUDIO: Ducks Stream). The Ducks continue their 14-game January schedule (0-0-1), which includes six home and eight road contests. All-time, Anaheim is 168-146-39 in the month of January, including a 12-12-4 record the last three seasons in January (2021-22 to present). Since the start of 2013-14, Anaheim is 64-45-11 in January, picking up points in 75 of the 120 contests (.623%). Following tonight’s game, the Ducks will conclude the eight-game homestand on Sunday, Jan. 7 vs. the Detroit Red Wings at Honda Center (5 p.m. PT).
EIGHT STRAIGHT: The Ducks continue an eight-game homestand tonight that spans a total of 18 days from Dec. 21 through Jan. 7. The homestand (currently 1-4-1) is tied for the second-longest in franchise history, with the Ducks hosting a club record 10-game homestand Dec. 23, 2022 – Jan. 13, 2023 spanning 24 days (3-6-1 record). Anaheim’s longest prior homestands of eight games (three times) include March 12-27 (1-6-1), Dec. 28, 2014-Jan. 16, 2015 (6-2-0, 12 pts.), Mar. 2-18, 2007 (6-1-1, 13 pts.) and Oct. 28-Nov. 14, 2001 (2-4-2, 6 pts.). The Ducks will host four Pacific Division rivals (Calgary, Seattle, Vegas, Edmonton), two Central clubs (Arizona and Winnipeg) and two Eastern Conference foes (Toronto and Detroit).
DUCKS-JETS: Anaheim and Winnipeg hit the midway point of a three-game season series tonight with the final of two contests at Honda Center. In their first matchup of the season, Winnipeg earned a 4-2 win Dec. 10 in Orange County. Alex Killorn and Adam Henrique scored Anaheim’s two goals. The Ducks own a 19-18-5 all-time record vs. the Jets, including a 10-10-2 mark in Orange County. Jakob Silfverberg (9-10=19 in 29 GP) paces active Ducks skaters in scoring, goals and assists vs. the Jets. The two teams close out the season series March 15 at MTS Centre (5 p.m. PT)
HATS OFF: Anaheim leads the NHL with five hat tricks this season in addition to the most individual players to record a hat trick. The Ducks’ five hat tricks are the most by a team through 30 games in a season since the Penguins in 2018-19 (also 5), with Philadelphia (6) the last to record more through 30 games (1994-95). Anaheim’s hat tricks include Adam Henrique (3-0=3 Dec. 17 @ NJD), Leo Carlsson (3-0=3 Nov. 10 vs. PHI), Troy Terry (3-1=4 Nov. 1 @ ARI) and Frank Vatrano (3-0=3 Oct. 26 @ PHI and 3-0=3 Oct. 15 vs. CAR). The five hat tricks trails only the single-season club record of seven in 2010-11. The Ducks’ three hat tricks the first 10 games this season were tied for the second-most the last 40 years (NYI recorded four in 1983-84). Only Anaheim and Edmonton (2022-23) scored three hat tricks the first 10 games of a season since 1988-99 (PIT).
