Kyle Connor scored 6:52 into the third overtime period, lifting the Winnipeg Jets to a first-round series clear of the Edmonton Oilers with a 4-3 triumph Monday night.
Mark Scheifele scored twice, and Mason Appleton added a goal for the Jets, who eliminated the Oilers in the playoffs for the first time. It was the longest game in Winnipeg’s history.
Connor Hellebuyck made 37 saves for Winnipeg, which will confront the winner of the other North Division series between Toronto and Montreal. The Maple Leafs took a 2-1 series lead over the Canadiens Monday night with a 2-1 triumph.
Connor McDavid, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Alex Chiasson scored for Edmonton, which hasn’t won a playoff series since 2017. Mike Smith halted 39 shots for the Oilers, who had high expectations for the postseason subsequent to completing second in the North Division, in front of third-place Winnipeg. Edmonton additionally won the regular-season series 7-2.
“Everyone put everything they had into it,” McDavid said. “Definitely proud of everyone. I thought we were the better team most of the night too. It’s just frustrating. But that’s the way it goes.”
The Jets struck first on a power-play goal by Scheifele at 6:16 of the first period.
Simply 1:17 later, McDavid – the NHL’s leading scorer in the regular season – got his first goal of the series when he scored on a wraparound after a give-and-go with Leon Draisaitl.
The Jets recovered the lead off Appleton’s diversion of Josh Morrissey’s shot at 15:55 of the first.
Nugent-Hopkins tied it again at 3:44 of the second, scoring on a backhander into the top corner.
The Oilers took their first lead of the game at 16:37 of the second on Chiasson’s power-play goal. Be that as it may, it was brief, as Scheifele associated for his second goal of the night on a slap shot at 6:01 of the third.