Despite a terrific Henrik Lundqvist outing, the New York Rangers coughed up a three-goal lead and lost 4-3 to the Winnipeg Jets in a shootout.
- New York Rangers 3 (13-12-3, 29 pts)
- Winnipeg Jets 4 (16-8-2, 34 pts)
- NHL, Final, Shootout, Box Score
- Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
On a night when the New York Rangers honored one of their greatest players, they also found another way to rescue defeat from the jaws of victory. On Vic Hadfield night, the Rangers blew a three-goal lead to the Winnipeg Jets to fall in the shootout 4-3.
In the first period, it was the Henrik Lundqvist show. The Jets spent a lot of time in the Rangers zone thanks to three power plays, but Lundqvist stood tall as he stopped all 11 Winnipeg shots.
Lundqvist held the Jets off the board long enough for the Rangers to break through first on the scoreboard after Jesper Fast, on his 27th birthday, tipped in a Mika Zibanejad pass to make it 1-0 Rangers.
This was Fast’s first goal since he scored against the Nashville Predators on Opening night.
The Blueshirts took that lead into the second, despite the fact that they were being out-shot 11 to 4. The Jets continued to pepper shots on Lundqvist and the Rangers would not get a shot until nine minutes into the period.
But even though the Jets out-shot the Rangers 13-to-7 in the period, the Blueshirts were the ones who broke through in the goal column. Marc Staal received a Ryan Strome pass down low in the near circle and beat Connor Hellebuyck on the far side to make it 2-0 Rangers.
Remember when Marc Staal first arrived on the scene and we thought he might be dangerous offensively, on the point? Well, this one was a "Staal-family shot." 2-0. #NYR pic.twitter.com/eU02JTXscz
— ESNY (@EliteSportsNY) December 3, 2018
The Rangers added another goal with just over a minute left when Chris Kreider deflected a Zibanejad shot to make it 3-0 heading into the third period. Kreider leads the Rangers in goals with 14.
Chris Kreider off a nice play-starting decision by Neal Pionk. "It's a power-play … " well, it's not. But it's now a 3-0 Rangers lead. #NYR pic.twitter.com/I0EO9CVkLy
— ESNY (@EliteSportsNY) December 3, 2018
But the Jets began to make things interesting just under five minutes into the third. On Winnipeg’s fourth power play of the game, Mark Scheifele one-timed a shot past Lundqvist to cut the deficit to two. Jack Roslovic scored another goal from the point just 2:26 after the Scheifele goal to make it 3-2 Rangers. The Rangers failed to cool off the Jets when Bryan Little scored on a rebound to tie the game at three.
SCHEIF!
?: @markscheifele55
?: @BiggieFunke
?: Josh Morrissey#GoJetsGo | #WPGvsNYR pic.twitter.com/xOMFU7i5Ja— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) December 3, 2018
#NHLJets GOAL! ? @JRoslovic96 scores! Brings it within one!
3-2 NYR | #GoJetsGo | #WPGvsNYR pic.twitter.com/BpydJ7cOp9
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) December 3, 2018
The game would remain tied heading into overtime, where the Jets outshot the Rangers again 8-to-2, but neither team was able to end it.
Neither team would score in the first round of the shootout while Zibanejad and Patrik Laine traded goals. But after Jimmy Vesey missed his shot, the man who began the comeback, Scheifele, beat Lundqvist five-hole to get the Jets the win.
This is just absurdly sick. Mika Zibanejad and the Rangers fall 2-1 to the Jets in the shootout, 4-3 final. #NYR pic.twitter.com/YxuOuwbwtv
— ESNY (@EliteSportsNY) December 3, 2018
Scheif's Shootout Snipe! ?
(Try and say that five times fast…)#GoJetsGo | #WPGvsNYR pic.twitter.com/Cx9JtGx3Lj
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) December 3, 2018
Lundqvist made 39 saves on 42 shots, while the Rangers were able to muster up only 19 shots in regulation and overtime.
The Rangers will now have five days off until they square off against the Florida Panthers in Sunrise, Florida on Saturday.
? it again!
It was an emotional night for #NYR Legend Vic Hadfield as he watched his #11 get raised to the rafters @TheGarden! (@budweiserusa) pic.twitter.com/cUPLRLPWfz
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) December 3, 2018
