Connor scores with a minute left as Jets hand Avalanche first loss
Kyle Connor scored his second goal with one minute left Wednesday, and the Winnipeg Jets beat the Colorado Avalanche 3-2. It was Colorado's first loss of the season. Goalie Stuart Skinner made 32 saves, and Winnipeg has earned points in all four of its games.
The Colorado Avalanche lost for the first time this season. Kyle Connor scored with one minute left in the third period, and the Winnipeg Jets beat Colorado 3-2 on Wednesday at Canada Life Centre, NHL.com and AP reported.
The winner came off a classic play from Winnipeg's top line. Mark Scheifele threaded a cross-ice pass through traffic, and Connor fired a quick wrist shot from the hashmarks. "He threaded the needle and all I needed to do was put it in," Connor said.
It was Connor's second goal of the night. He tied the game 1-1 early in the second period by tipping a Neal Pionk shot. Cole Perfetti then deflected a Dylan Samberg shot off his skate for a 2-1 lead.
Colorado scored first on a goal by Jaden Schwartz in the second period. Fedor Svechkov tied it 2-2 midway through the third, poking a Schwartz pass through Skinner's pads.
Skinner was the difference for long stretches. He made 32 saves as Colorado outshot Winnipeg 34-19, according to the CBS Sports box score. Avalanche goalie Mackenzie Blackwood made 16 saves.
"You give up a partial odd-man rush late in the game and against their top line... and they capitalized again," Colorado coach Jared Bednar said.
Winnipeg is 3-0-1 and has points in every game this season. Connor has five goals in four games. His 328 career goals tie Ilya Kovalchuk for third in franchise history, behind Dale Hawerchuk and Scheifele. Connor and Scheifele have now combined on 62 game-winning goals, the most by any duo in Jets history.
There was one worry. Defenseman Josh Morrissey left with an upper-body injury after delivering a hit late in the first period. He returned for one shift and did not come back. Coach Scott Arniel said the team would check on him Thursday.
Colorado, now 2-1-0, plays at Calgary on Thursday night. Winnipeg hosts Anaheim on Friday.
What we know: Winnipeg won 3-2 on Connor's late goal, and Morrissey left hurt.
What we don't: How serious Morrissey's upper-body injury is.
Where outlets agree NHL.com and AP both report Connor scored with one minute left for a 3-2 win and that Skinner made 32 saves.
Where they differ The only open question is Morrissey, whose upper-body injury Winnipeg had not described beyond saying it would check on him Thursday.