WINNIPEG — Mika Zibanejad was glad a season-high five-game road trip ended on a high note Monday.
Zibanejad scored 4:34 into overtime to lift the New York Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets that extended their NHL win streak to five games.
It was the first time in Rangers’ history the team has won every game of a road trip that's been at least five games.
“Everyone wants to go home, but we were determined to finish it off the right way and I thought we did and just battled through it and try to get these two points and this one feels really good,” Zibanejad said.
His one-timer that beat Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck was set up by Artemi Panarin, who scored on his birthday and added a pair of assists to stretch his season-opening point streak to nine games. Panarin, who turned 32, boosted his stats to five goals and 10 assists.
Chris Kreider scored his sixth goal of the season and Igor Shesterkin stopped 27 shots for New York (7-2-0). K'Andre Miller had two assists.
David Gustafsson and Nikolaj Ehlers scored for the Jets (4-3-2) in front of 11,898 fans at Canada Life Centre, the second-highest attendance of the season.
Capacity is 15,325 at the downtown rink, and the highest attendance has been 13,410 for the season opener against the Florida Panthers.
Cole Perfetti picked up a pair of assists and Connor Hellebuyck made 23 saves for Winnipeg, which is riding a five-game point streak (3-0-2).
The teams were tied 1-1 after the first period and kept the same score heading into the third.
Ehlers beat Shesterkin with a wraparound at 5:08 of the third to take the lead. It was his second goal of the season and 400th career point.
“I was pretty bad last game,” Ehlers said. “I’ve had a lot of bad games. I’m still gonna have a lot of bad games. I just tried to get back out there and skate and create something. Be better. I think I managed that pretty good.”
Kreider tipped in an Adam Fox shot on the power play to tie it 2-2 at 13:12.
Winnipeg went into overtime on the power play after New York defenceman Ryan Lindgren was called for tripping with 19 seconds remaining in the third.
The Jets haven’t scored in their last 13 power plays.
“We had a chance to win that thing in the overtime four-on-three and didn't get it done,” Winnipeg interim head coach Scott Arniel said. “Tonight, their power play scored, ours didn't, and that's the difference in the game. It really was.
“I thought we played a heck of a hockey game five-on-five against one of the top teams right now.”
Panarin scored the game’s first goal when he redirected a pass from former Jets defenceman Jacob Trouba into the net with 1:36 remaining in the opening period.
Gustafsson scored his second goal of the season with 28 seconds left.
Ranger head coach Peter Laviolette said Panarin is doing some “pretty special” things.
“The last one, just the game-winner, to be able to just part the way down the middle of the ice like that, push people off and then draw them in, and then have the vision to make the play to Mika, that’s a unique player and he’s playing really well for us right now,” Laviolette said.
STANDING OVATION
As Jets fans stood and cheered, former Jets captain Blake Wheeler stepped on the ice, tapped his glove to his heart and mouthed “thank you” while a video tribute played midway through the first period.
“I’ve used the word grateful a million times now, but that was the first emotion,” Wheeler said of the tribute after the game.
“I was choking back some tears but, overall, you just feel a little uncomfortable having all of that for you.”
Wheeler spent 13 seasons with the organization, including his last 12 with the Jets after the Atlanta Thrashers moved to Winnipeg in 2011. The final year of his contract was bought out in the off-season and he signed a one-year deal with the Rangers.
Wheeler, who brought his wife and three children in for the game, was Winnipeg's captain from 2016-22. He left as the franchise leader in regular-season games (897), points (812) and assists (550).
UP NEXT
Jets: Travel to Vegas to play the Golden Knights on Thursday.
Rangers: Return home to host the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 30, 2023.
Judy Owen, The Canadian Press
