Jets Collapse, Drop Fifth-Straight in Overtime Loss to Minnesota

The Winnipeg Jets have found yet another way to lose hockey games. 

This time, it may not have even been their fault - per se. 

Matt Boldy's overtime winner on his second goal of the night came just 39 seconds into overtime, putting the finishing touches on a 4-3 come-from-behind Wild victory on the road. 

Having played some of their best hockey in considerable time, the Jets gave up a 3-2 lead with 21 seconds to play, before allowing the overtime winner 39 seconds into the extra frame. 

The loss was the Jets' eighth in their past nine games, and it took place in front of a sellout crowd at Canada Life Centre on Saturday. Winnipeg heavily outplayed its opponent in its first game following the holiday break, but faltered when it mattered most. 

The loss dropped the Jets' lowly record to 15-17-4 on the season. 

Winnipeg received goals from its stars: Josh Morrissey, Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele, while Minnesota answered back with strikes from Matt Boldy, Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello. 

“You know, we played well," Scheifele said post-game. "We still got a point. Obviously, all points are big and we would have liked to get both of them, but you know, coming off the break, we had a lot of great efforts out there. We’ve just got to keep going.”

For Connor and Scheifele, the goals were the duo's 18th of the season. 

Connor Hellebuyck turned aside 15 of the 19 pucks sent his way, while Jesper Wallstedt made 23 stops on Winnipeg's 26 shots on goal.

Gustav Nyquist almost had his first as a Jet - 27 games into the season - on what was a nifty dangle through the Wild's defensive zone, before beating Wallstedt in what looked like his first of the year. But a coach's challenge determined that Nino Niederreiter was offside on the play, negating the early strike. 

Morrissey scored later in the frame, pumping his sixth of the year into the Minnesota net, bringing Canada Life Centre to its collective feet. 

But Boldy tied things up before the period came to an end. Winnipeg began the second period ahead 10-5 in shots, while remaining deadlocked at ones.

Kaprizov gave the visitors a 2-1 lead midway through the stanza, but the Jets battled back with strong offensive zone control. 

Connor ripped home his 302nd career goal off a strong zone entry from Vilardi and a centring pass from Scheifele.

Then, with just 5.1 seconds remaining in the period, Jonathan Toews was placed into the centre ice role for an offensive zone face-off. He won the draw cleanly to Scheifele, who put the puck into the net with two seconds remaining in the period, on a perfectly executed face-off play. 

Toews, the veteran, operated at a 77 percent success rate in the face-off circle on Saturday, where he earned a key assist on the go-ahead goal. 

But he wasn't on the ice for Minnesota's game-tying goal. 

With Dylan DeMelo in the box for cross checking, Morgan Barron without a stick and Wallstedt on the bench for the extra attacker, Zuccarello tied the game on a power play goal with just 21 seconds remaining. 

DeMelo took exception to a dangerous hit-from-behind on partner Morrissey, which drew a minor as Connor thought he had sealed the game on an empty-netter, only to have the whistle sound as Connor touched the puck for the penalty. 

Barron then lost the ensuing face-off, allowing the Wild possession and the Zuccarello strike. 

“JMo is one of the premier defencemen in this league," Scheifele said of the DeMelo penalty. "He’s got to be protected.”

Then, in overtime, after Wallstedt turned aside Scheifele point blank, the Wild collected the puck and stormed up ice, with Boldy firing his second of the game past Hellebuyck and into the net for the winner, sending the bewildered Jets home with just one point, increasing their winless streak to five games.

Next up is another home test, this one against Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers on Monday.