WINNIPEG, Manitoba — In a thrilling finish on Thursday night, Dylan DeMelo netted a goal with just 27 seconds remaining, leading the Winnipeg Jets to a narrow 2-1 victory against the Seattle Kraken.
Matty Beniers put the Kraken ahead with a goal in the first period, while Winnipeg’s Mark Scheifele tied the game with a power-play goal during the second period. Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck contributed to the win with an impressive 18 saves, while Seattle’s Joey Daccord had a busy night, stopping 34 shots.
This win extended the Jets’ point streak to five games (4-0-1) and improved their record to 8-2-2 over their last dozen matchups.
For Seattle, this game concluded a challenging 2-3 road trip.
Scheifele’s power-play goal evened the score at 1-1 at the 9:35 mark of the second period, capitalizing on a rebound from Kyle Connor while Jamie Oleksiak was serving a penalty for interference. Hellebuyck’s stellar play was vital in keeping the game tied, as he denied Andre Burakovsky during a breakaway towards the end of the second period.
Beniers had opened the game’s scoring halfway through the first period, finishing a well-placed pass from Kaapo Kakko right in front of Hellebuyck.
**Key Takeaways**
Jets: Despite being outperformed in the first period, Winnipeg found their rhythm in the second, firing 20 shots compared to Seattle’s 8.
Kraken: Displaying resilience after a tough road trip, the Kraken took charge early, outshooting the Jets 11-8 in the first period and scoring first. However, Winnipeg intensified their offense in the subsequent periods.
**Key Moment**
DeMelo’s late goal, set up by Nikolaj Ehlers, proved crucial for the Jets.
**Key Stat**
The Jets dominated in shots on goal, outshooting Seattle 36-19 throughout the match.
**Upcoming Games**
The Jets will next host the Calgary Flames on Saturday night, while the Kraken are set to return home to face the Los Angeles Kings, also on Saturday night.
