If only they could have played like this on the road earlier in the season, they would be examining their playoff tactics right now. As it is, the Winnipeg Jets will take this big come from behind road victory in overtime against the Florida Panthers 5-4.
This is the best road trip of the season for the Jets, as they took five out of a possible six points.
Once again it was captain Andrew Ladd, who had trouble finding the net on the road this season, that scored the winner 3:12 into the extra frame. It was Ladd's second goal of the game and his 27th goal of the season. The assist came from a nice drop-pass by Blake Wheeler. This was the second game-winner in overtime for Ladd on this road trip. Evander Kane tallied one in the third. It was his 30th.
Zach Bogosian and Bryan Little also scored for the Jets.
The game looked to be out of reach early as the Cats dominated the first half of the game, leading 3-0 midway through the second period. But after Spencer Machachek fed a nice pass to Kane in the Panther crease on a two-on-one to put the Jets on the board, the roles reversed and the Jets took over. The assist was Machachek's ninth point in the seven games since his call-up.
If it wasn't for Ondrej Pavelec, the game wouldn't have gone into overtime as he stopped Thomas Fleischmann cold on a clear-cut breakaway with 20 seconds left in regulation time after the Jets had almost ended it themselves at the other end with Jose Theodore down and Tobias Enstrom just missing a blast from the slot. It was a redemption of sorts for Pavelec who let in a wrist-shot in the top right corner by Tomas Kopeky from a tight angle to allow the tying goal late in the third when he strayed a touch from the post.
The game meant way more for the Panthers than it did for the Jets, as the Panthers were looking to clinch the South-East division and their first playoff spot for the first time in 12 years. It is the longest playoff drought in NHL history. Yes, longer than the Toronto Maple Leafs. Although they did get a point, the Panthers will have to wait until Thursday for another kick at the can when they visit the Washington Capitals as the Buffalo Sabres also came back from 3-0 against the Leafs tonight to win 6-5, also in overtime. They are not even guaranteed a playoff spot as both the Sabres and the Capitals would win the tie-breaker rule over the Panthers should a tie at the end of the season occur, as at the present moment, both the Capitals and Sabres have more wins than Florida who have 37 while the Caps have 40 and the Sabres 39.
The Jets have two games left in the season. Next up is Thursday when they're in Long Island to take on the Islanders, then to finish off the season, they host the Tampa Bay Lightning at the MTS Centre.