The Winnipeg Jets improved to 41-18-5 on the year with a 3-0 shutout victory over the Washington Capitals on Monday.
Just two days after putting up their "worst game in two years" the Winnipeg Jets stepped up to bat and hit a home run against the visiting Washington Capitals, restoring some fair in the mind of head coach Rick Bowness.
With the win, the Jets improved to 41-18-5 on the season and pulled two within two points of the dormant Dallas Stars with 87 points - good for second place in the Central Division, with two games in hand.
Neal Pionk, Alex Iafallo and Kyle Connor each scored for Winnipeg, which saw Connor Hellebuyck pick up his 30th win and fourth shutout of the season .
The game also marked the debuts of trade deadline acquisitions Tyler Toffoli and Colin Miller, who joined the Jets from New Jersey last Friday.
“They fit in great, and it’s only going to get better as they adjust and get more comfortable in the systems," captain Adam Lowry said. "Learning a new system, coming in it can be a bit of a whirlwind. All things considered, they both did a great job.”
Winnipeg started off on the right note, putting up a strong first period, to which the hosts outshot Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals 12-5.
The Jets also potted the only goal of the frame, on a strong connection between Mason Appleton and Neal Pionk. After winning a puck battle along the boards, Lowry got the disc to Appleton, who found a streaking Pionk.
The offensive defender moved toward the net, outmuscling Max Pacioretty before putting the puck past Charlie Lindgren to open the scoring. The goal was Pionk's fifth of the season.
"To be able to tuck that one in, it’s nice to see it go in for him," Lowry added of Pionk. "He’s been really hard for us lately. It was nice for us to get the lead and then continue on. I thought that even after we scored the first one, we kept pressing and kept generating chances.”
The middle stanza saw the Jets maintain their early-game pressure. The result was three goal posts and a quick redirection goal making it 2-0 for the hosts.
The goal came off the stick of Alex Iafallo, whose perfect screen and deflection off a Josh Morrissey point shot was enough to beat Lindgren for a second time.
Nikolaj Ehlers, Cole Perfetti and Dylan DeMelo each also found iron in a span of just five minutes as the period wore on.
Winnipeg remained atop the shot chart, with a 20-16 advantage through 40 minutes.
Connor put the icing on the cake, as he finished off a passing play from Mark Scheifele on a two-on-one with exactly 10 minutes remaining in the third. The goal was Connor's 27th of the season.
Perfetti and Scheifele each hit posts as the period wore down, but Lindgren remained lucky with his iron game on Monday.
Hellebuyck turned aside all 23 pucks he faced, while Lindgren made 26 saves on the 29 Jets shots on net.
Next up for the Jets is the second test of the three-game homestand, as the Nashville Predators roll into town on Wednesday evening, before Anaheim brings its game to Canada Life Centre on Friday.
Wednesday's game is another 6:30 PM central start time on Sportsnet, while Friday's matchup features a 7:00 PM start. It will be broadcast on TSN.
