The Winnipeg Jets dropped an ugly game to the Calgary Flames from Canada Life Centre on Wednesday.
Usually when you are outshot nearly 2-1, you lose the game. On Wednesday night from downtown Winnipeg, the Jets did just that, falling 3-2 to an American Hockey League team wearing Calgary Flames sweaters.
Wednesday's game marked the Jets' second home preseason game of the schedule, and third overall.
Coming out firing, Winnipeg struck first, but fell asleep for the better part of the second period, before waking back up in the third.
Heavily outshot, the Jets' netminding duo of Connor Hellebuyck and Oskari Salminen managed to hold off a rather potent AHL-level Calgary offence.
Things began with a bang on Wednesday, actually, a series of bangs to the forehead of Calgary’s Adam Klapka, as delivered by Tyrel Bauer’s fists. The two squared off in a pre-meditated tilt just 1:20 into the game, to which the Moose defender easily took care of business.
The teams then played to a 1-1 draw through 20 minutes, with the Jets scoring first and the Flames getting one back late in the frame.
The Jets’ lone goal came off the stick of Jansen Harkins, whose first of the preseason was the result of some hard work from Parker Ford. Putting the finishing touches on a give-and-go, Harkins put the home team ahead 1-0 7:28 in on a strong net-drive. Declan Chisholm picked up the secondary assist on the play.
“I just tried to get it around the defender really," Harkins said. "Not going to score many times on the ice, but it worked out for me.”
The Flames capitalized on some late-period four-on-four action as Alex Iafallo and Andrew Mangiapane found themselves in the box on coincidental roughing minors. With 21 seconds left in the frame, MacKenzie Weegar’s bounced around netfront, before landing on the stick of Dryden Hunt, who calmly tied things up past a sprawling Hellebuyck.
The Jets’ netminder turned aside 18 of the 19 shots he faced before exiting midway through the second period, giving way to Salminen for the remainder of the contest.
At the other end of the ice, Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf really didn't see much action through 40 minutes of play. With Winnipeg putting up a combined seven shots through two periods, it certainly had the workings of a light day at the office.
Cole Perfetti got his bell rung at centre ice on a cheap shot by Martin Pospisil, to which the Flames pugilist was tossed with a match penalty with just seconds remaining in the second.
“I passed it to him and kind of put my head down and just sort of skated by him," Harkins added. "I missed it. I saw whatever happened after. Good on Stan for going over there and stand up for him.”
Then, just moments into the third period, that man advantage became a five-on-three. Winnipeg nearly needed all two minutes for Parker Ford to pick up his second point of the game, as he blasted a one-timer through Wolf off a strong setup pass by Nino Niederreiter.
“Yeah, I’ve been trying to shoot the puck a bit more," Ford said. "A little lucky. Wolfy is a good goalie, I know him. He played well today, but I was lucky to get that one on him today.”
It remained 2-1 until Connor Zary found his second of the preseason on a perfectly placed wrist shot, knotting the score at twos with just over seven minutes to play.
Calgary maintained its near 2:1 shot lead through the third period, as the teams needed extra time to determine a winner. The Flames outshot Winnipeg 31-17 through 60 minutes of play.
The eventful overtime period saw a sensational desperation stop from Salminen, a post from Zadorov and a breakaway chance for Rasmus Kupari, but no one was able to find a winner, so a shootout was required.
Andrew Mangiapane potted the winner, while none of Nino Niederreiter, Ford or Namestnikov were able to beat Wolf, as the Flames hung on for the 3-2 shootout victory.
Winnipeg next travels to Ottawa for a Friday evening game against the Senators. The teams will face off at 6:00 PM central time from Canadian Tire Centre. The game will be aired live on TSN.