Ducks' stifling defense shut down Winnipeg's stars, holding five key players to zero shots on net in a stunning upset victory.
The Winnipeg Jets entered Tuesday’s matchup with the Anaheim Ducks carrying plenty of momentum after earning points in eight of their previous nine games. That strong run, however, came to a halt as Anaheim’s defensive effort led to a 4–1 victory.
Winnipeg started the game exactly how it hoped. Forward Morgan Barron opened the scoring early with a solid goal from the Jets’ bottom line, giving the home side a quick 1–0 lead. After that early strike, Anaheim took control as they tightened up defensively and limited Winnipeg’s offensive opportunities throughout the night.
The Jets finished with just 13 shots on goal, tying their lowest total of the season. The only other time Winnipeg recorded that few shots came on November 28 in a 5–1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. Anaheim capitalized on the shift in momentum, scoring four unanswered goals to pull away for the win.
The most surprising aspects of the game was the lack of production from Winnipeg’s top players as their core group of Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Gabe Vilardi, Cole Perfetti, and Josh Morrissey combined for zero shots on goal. Even more surprisingly, veteran winger Gustav Nyquist led the Jets with three shots.
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