By Zachary McMahon-
The Pittsburgh Penguins traveled west to face the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday afternoon at the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba. This was the opening game of a four-game Canada road trip for the Penguins after spending the last two games in Pittsburgh against the Carolina Hurricanes and Buffalo Sabres, where they won in overtime against Buffalo, and a loss against the Canes. The Jets entered the matchup undefeated after they won their first four games, and this was the last game of the four-game homestand.
Goaltender Eric Comrie returned to the Jets for the third time in the offseason, and made his first start of the season. Comrie was drafted in the second round in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, and played five games in the first three seasons with the Jets, as he spent most of his time in the AHL-affiliate Manitoba Moose. After he made one start in 2021 for the New Jersey Devils, he came back for his first full season in 2021-22 for the Jets, making 19 appearances with 16 starts. He spent the last two seasons for the Sabres before returning for the Jets this offseason.
Comrie made 39 saves on 42 shots, which is the most saves he has had in a game since 2022 for the Sabres.
Alex Nedeljkovic made his first start of the season for the Pens after being called up from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, he made 31 saves on 36 shots on goal.
After the first period had no scoring, the Pens started with a 2-0 lead after scores from Kevin Hayes and Lars Eller, then the Jets took the lead to end the second period with Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele, and Vladislav Namestnikov all scoring for Winnipeg. Connor has a goal in each of the last three games, and a five-game point streak (four goals, one assist).
Eller tied the game at three apiece at the start of the third period for his second goal of the game. This is Eller’s second game in the last four that he’s had a multi-goal game.
However, Adam Lowry and Mason Appleton both scored their second goals of the season to take a 5-3 lead. Nedeljkovic was pulled from the net, and Nino Niederreiter scored an empty net goal to make it 6-3, which would be the final score.
The Jets remain undefeated, and extend their franchise record of longest winning streak to start a season.
Nicolaj Ehlers, Colin Miller, and Josh Morrisey all had two assists for the Jets, as seven different players had an assist.
The Penguins will continue their road trip in Calgary as they will face the Flames on Tuesday at 9:30 pm. The Jets will play their next three games on the road, and their first stop will be in St. Louis when they face the Blues on Tuesday.
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