WINNIPEG 鈥� The pre-game anticipation was for Winnipeg鈥檚 Connor Hellebuyck to become the second-fastest goalie to crack the 300-win milestone.
But another netminder stole the show Thursday night.
John Gibson stopped 27 of 30 shots as the Anaheim Ducks battled back to beat the Jets 4-3 in overtime before a sellout crowd of 15,225 at Canada Life Centre.
Troy Terry scored two goals, including the game winner in OT, and added an assist to lead the Ducks. But he took the time to praise Gibson.
鈥淗e's been kind of the man here since I got here, so he's been doing that for a long time,鈥� Terry said. 鈥淵ou know, I think he's extremely underappreciated in the NHL. I think he's genuinely one of the best goalies in this league. And I think for him to miss a lot in the start of the year, be sick coming out of the break, it just seems every time he goes in there, he just gives you that sense of calmness and he makes the big saves.鈥�
One of those saves was stopping Winnipeg鈥檚 Nikolaj Ehlers on a breakaway in OT.
鈥淵ou can't say enough good things about him,鈥� Terry said. 鈥淗e's one of our leaders. Just some of the adversity he's dealt with in the last two years with all kinds of different stuff, and it seems he comes back and it's the same for us every night.鈥�
Terry added that Gibson deserved the assist he was given on the game-winning goal because the goaltender poked the puck away from Cole Perfetti.
鈥淗e鈥檚 a veteran,鈥� said Ducks coach Greg Cronin. 鈥淗e鈥檚 been around a long time, so I didn鈥檛 have any doubt that he was going to come out and play well tonight.鈥�
It was Anaheim鈥檚 third straight victory and the second consecutive loss for the Jets (27-11-2), who blew leads of 2-0 and 3-2 on Thursday.
After the Jets went up 3-2 late in the third period, Radko Gudas forced overtime when his screened shot from the point beat Hellebuyck with 1:50 left.
鈥淲e鈥檙e diggin鈥� and scrapin鈥� and clawin鈥�,鈥� Cronin said. 鈥淲e have a hard time scoring and I thought tonight was a really good bounce after we get down 2-0.
"The good thing is the bench was staying calm and positive. We were very fortunate to get the third goal on the pulled goalie there. I don鈥檛 know how it went in, but I think we just have a really good mentality as a team. We don鈥檛 get too rattled by what the score is.鈥�
Leo Carlsson also scored for Anaheim (16-17-4).
鈥�(The Ducks are) a young group that鈥檚 got a lot of speed,鈥� said Jets coach Scott Arniel. 鈥淭hey transition really well. We watched them do it against Edmonton and New Jersey this last week. If you鈥檙e going to make mistakes, they鈥檙e going to capitalize.
"They鈥檙e a young team that鈥檚 added some veterans and they鈥檙e trying to play a certain way, and tonight, we fed them with some of the mistakes we made and gave them some opportunities.鈥�
Alex Iafallo, Adam Lowry and Mark Scheifele scored for Winnipeg. Josh Morrissey assisted on two of the markers.
Hellebuyck stopped 20 of 24 shots.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a hard league,鈥� Cronin said. 鈥淓very team has players that can score goals and defend. It鈥檚 being able to sustain a style of hockey that鈥檚 going to allow you to win, give you the best chance to win, and that鈥檚 what we鈥檝e been focusing on.鈥�
NOTES: Winnipeg headed into the game leading the NHL with 39 power-play goals and a 32.5 per cent conversion rate, but were shut out in two tries. 鈥� The Jets now lead the NHL with 145 goals. 鈥� With an assist on Scheifele鈥檚 goal, Gabe Vilardi extended his point streak to five games. 鈥� Anaheim鈥檚 Cutter Gauthier had his five-game point streak snapped.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 2, 2025.
Jim Bender, The Canadian Press
