Achi news desk-
Nikita Chibrikov had a memorable NHL debut.
The Winnipeg Jets forward scored the winner and Cole Perpeti scored a pair of goals as the Jets beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-2 to close out their regular season on Thursday.
“It’s like the dream, that you start from the first steps on the ice and live with it every day,” said Chibrikov, who was called up by the Manitoba Moss of the American Hockey League earlier today.
The win produced some notable accomplishments in front of the 10th crowd of the season at the Canada Life Centre.
The Jets finished the regular season giving up 199 total goals, the fewest in the NHL and one fewer than the Florida Panthers, to win the William M. Jennings of the league for the first time.
“Give the players credit,” Jets coach Rick Bowness said. “The players have to go on the ice and do it, and they have to go out there every night and be committed to it.”
The Jets also extended their winning streak to eight games, tying the franchise record they set earlier this season. Their 52 wins (52-24-6) also matched the franchise record for wins in a season with the 2017-18 squad.
Winnipeg’s 110 points – the most of any Canadian team this season – gave the Jets second place in the Western Conference behind Dallas and home court advantage in the first three rounds of the playoffs against teams other than the All-Stars.
Gabe Vilardi also scored for the Jets, who won the season series against the Canucks 2-1, and Laurent Brosseau made 18 saves for his 15th win of the season in his 23rd game.
Connor Garland had a goal and an assist for the Canucks (50-23-9). Elias Lindholm scored on the power play.
Thatcher Damko stopped 22-of-25 shots in his second straight start in net for Vancouver after returning from a 14-game absence with a knee injury.
“Thatcher is the last guy I’m worried about,” Vancouver defenseman Kevin Hughes said. “He made some massive saves tonight and he’s going to make some big saves throughout the (playoff) series.
The Canucks snapped a two-game winning streak and finished 3-1-1 in their last five games.
Both clubs have given out players as they prepare for the first round of the NHL playoffs. Winnipeg faces the Colorado Avalanche and Vancouver faces the Nashville Predators, with both series starting on Sunday.
Vancouver head coach Rick Touchette said his team’s game wasn’t bad.
“We have to move on,” he said. “Now in a big way. The big prize now plays on Sunday.”
The Jets were without top line forwards Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor, as well as star defenseman Josh Morrissey and starting goaltender Connor Helleweke. The Canucks settled forwards JT Miller and Brock Boozer.
The game was tied 1-1 after the first round and 2-2 before the third.
Vancouver’s first shot of the game was a Garland layup on a Jets punt attempt at 5:22, giving him 20 goals this season.
Vilardi tied it six minutes later when he slid across the crease with the puck, turned and flicked it over the far post for his 22nd marker.
Perpeti made it 2-1 just 55 seconds into the middle frame on a 3-on-1, recording his 18th of the season.
Lindholm’s tip-in from Hughes 25 seconds into the power play tied it at 17:11, but Perpeti scored into an empty net with 2:05 left in the third.
Participation film
Jets forward Sean Monahan had the distinction of playing in his 83rd game of the season – the only player in the league to reach that mark.
Monahan was acquired in a Feb. 2 trade with Montreal after playing 49 games with the Canadiens. Thursday was his 34th in Winnipeg.
He could skate in 84 games, but missed one Jets game because he was sick.
NHL debut
Winnipeg used the end of its regular season to call up some players from the Moose before the start of the AHL playoffs.
Forward Brad Lambert also made his NHL debut. Goalkeeper Colin Delia backed up Rosois.
While his fellow Russian scored a goal, Finnish-born Lambert also registered a first point with an assist on Vilardi’s goal.
the next
Jets: Host the Colorado Avalanche in Game 1 of the NHL’s first playoff series on Sunday.
Canucks: Host the Nashville Predators in Game 1 of their series opener on Sunday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on April 18, 2024.
