WINNIPEG — Nikolaj Ehlers is back in top form for the Winnipeg Jets since his return from injury four games ago.
Ehlers' goal and two assists were pivotal in Winnipeg's 4-2 doubling of the visiting Ottawa Senators on Saturday in front of an announced 14,734 at Canada Life Centre.
The highest-scoring NHL player from Denmark sat out nine games in early December with a lower-body injury.
Ehler has two goals and three assists since rejoining the lineup. When he's in top form, Ehler's speed creates offensive chances.
"He's a guy that, when the opposition defence see him coming, they're not really keen on keeping a tight gap,” said Jets coach Scott Arniel.
"They don't want to get embarrassed by getting beat wide. When he does it enough, when he does it consistently, all of a sudden, the sea parted there and he had the big wide open ice to get inside the blue line and get even closer to the goalie.
"His speed is a weapon and when he uses it, he's so effective."
Goalie Connor Hellebuyck's 33 saves, including 17 in the third period, was the other key piece of Winnipeg's victory.
Ehlers became the highest-scoring Danish player in the NHL back on Nov. 3. He has a career 212 goals and 275 assists.
Ehlers sent Mark Scheifele in alone on Ottawa netminder Mads Sorgaard with a perfect pass just outside the blue line. Scheifele then beat Sorgaard with a back hand shot to knot the score at 2-2.
“I didn't think (defenceman Colin Miller) was going to pass it up, but I'm glad he did,” Ehlers said. “And then I saw Scheif was kind of in the middle, so I just tried to get a little tip on it. He put it in backhand – I didn't see that because I was changing.”
Then, Ehlers whipped a perfect pass to Gabe Vilardi in front of the net during a third-period power play, which the winger converted for the game-winner.
“He's showed that in the time that he's been here, that he's pretty good net front,” Ehlers said. “So, you learn from every single player that you play with and play against. Our power play, when we play it the right way and play it fast, get pucks to the net and get some chaos going, that's when we're at our best.
"When we work it around slow, it's not very good. So, you try to get as many pucks to the net as possible. With the skill that we have on both our power plays, things will open up once you get that chaos going.”
Ehlers added an insurance marker one minute 32 seconds after Vilardi's go-ahead goal.
The Senators led 2-0 early in the second period on power-play goals from Ridly Greig and Tim Stutzle, but the Jets countered with four unanswered goals.
“We got after them,” Ehlers said of the comeback. “We started well, and then they kind of took over in the first period. And then from then on, I think we deserved to win this game tonight. We played well.”
Kyle Connor started the comeback on a setup from Scheifele midway through the second period.
"We just had some good looks, but their goalie made some huge saves for them," Ottawa's Stutzle said. "He’s a great goalie, so we got to do a better job getting in front of him and don't give him those easy saves.
“They came out really hard and the power play got us going. There's some stretches we maybe want back, but, in the end we just gotta keep playing the way we want to play, keep playing simple and I think good things will happen.”
The Senators played their fifth in a nine-game road trip away from Ottawa, which is hosting the world junior men's hockey championship.
HOTSHOT SCHEIFELE: Scheifele’s goal gave him 10 for December, which tied him for the most in the month with Edmonton’s Zach Hyman.
“It’s the Christmas month, so you’ve got to enjoy it,” Scheifele. “But it’s been great. Just happy to play with the guys I play with. They are just absolutely fantastic. We just have to keep it going.”
NOTES: With a goal in the second period, Connor extended his point streak to six games … The Jets headed into the game boasting a plus-44 goal differential, which led the NHL … Winnipeg’s NHL-leading power play had scored at least one power play goal in five straight contests …. The Senators played without injured goaltenders Linus Ullmark and Anton Forsberg.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Dec. 28, 2024.
Jim Bender, The Canadian Press
