Connor, Pionk shine as Winnipeg Jets roll past Detroit 6-2

Posted on October 30, 2024 by Peggy

After picking up their first loss of the season Monday, the Winnipeg Jets responded in a big way by taking care of the Red Wings 6-2 in Detroit Wednesday night.

The Jets wasted little time getting on the board, opening the scoring just 2:48 into the game. Michigan’s Kyle Connor fed a hard-charging Gabriel Vilardi in transition and he roofed it past Alex Lyon to make it 1-0.

The assist for Connor was the 500th point of his career.

Just 1:14 after Vilardi’s goal, the Jets made it 2-0. Mark Scheifele won an offensive zone faceoff back to the point to Neal Pionk, who sent it near-side to Connor. His shot toward the net was tipped by Scheifele and trickled to the back post where Pionk charged to the back door and knocked it home for his second of the season.

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After picking up a pair of helpers, Connor got in on the scoring late in the first. He picked up a loose puck in his own end and started up the ice, firing a cross-ice pass to Vilardi in the neutral zone. After taking it into the Detroit end, Vilardi sent a perfect pass to the back door where Connor was ready to receive it and deke out Lyon to make it 3-0 after 20 minutes.

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Winnipeg nearly made it 4-0 around eight minutes into the second when Cole Perfetti hit the post from point-blank range, and moments later Dylan Samberg was called for interference near the Wings’ blue line, giving Detroit a power play chance that they would make quick work of.

Six seconds after the puck was dropped in the Jets’ zone, Dylan Larkin scored on a one-timer to make it 3-1.

Detroit rode the momentum of that goal and put lots of pressure on Winnipeg as the period rolled along, earning another power play that they would again take advantage of.

With Pionk in the box for hooking, Alex DeBrincat tipped a Lucas Raymond shot high over the shoulder of Connor Hellebuyck to make it 3-2 heading to the third.

But just eight seconds into the final frame, a weird one helped the Jets restore their two-goal lead. After Jeff Petry mishandled the puck in the corner, Nino Niederreiter steered it softly on goal but Lyon’s attempt to send the puck away from the net bounced off Ben Chiarot and into the net.

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Winnipeg ran away with the game from there, scoring yet another power play goal at the 7:19 mark of the third when a long wrist shot from Pionk beat Lyon clean for his second of the night, just the second time in his NHL career he has scored twice in a game.

Colin Miller got in on the fun just past the midway point when he beat Lyon from distance as the Wings’ netminder tried to catch the high shot but whiffed on it.

Ten different Jets recorded at least a point in the win while Hellebuyck only had to make 19 saves to earn the victory.

Winnipeg will look to pick up another two points Friday in Columbus.