Jets Begin Young Stars Classic With Overtime Win vs. Flames

The Winnipeg Jets are 1-0-0 in early-September action.

The Winnipeg Jets opened their prospects tournament with a 4-3 overtime victory over the Calgary Flames on Friday evening in Penticton, BC.

With just 1:37 left in the three-on-three overtime period, Colby Barlow and Dmitry Kuzmin capitalized on a two-man breakaway, with Kuzmin putting the finishing touches on a slick one-timer setup pass.

Netminder Thomas Milic stood tall in goal for Winnipeg, picking up the win and allowing just three goals on the 23 shots he faced in the game. He is expected to get a break for Game 2 of the tournament.

Winnipeg opened the scoring just 4:43 into the contest, as an offensive zone Brayden Yager steal led to a perfect Nikita Chibrikov goal in the very early stages.

The Jets scored again just over a minute later, with Connor Levis getting his first marker of the Young Stars Classic off a great setup play from Markus Loponen. 

After Calgary tied things up, the Jets pulled back ahead in the early stages of the third period. Jacob Julien perfectly redirected a Brad Lambert shot-pass through to the back of the twine, giving Winnipeg a 3-2 lead with 16:25 left to play. 

The Flames got another game-tying goal midway through the frame off a shorthanded chance on a mis-cue from the Jets' power play unit. 

But it was Kuzmin who got the winner as the clock ticked down in the overtime period. 

Now up 1-0-0 through their first game of the prospects challenge, the Jets will have to wait until Sunday afternoon before they get back at it in a test with the prospects belonging to the Vancouver Canucks.