Nikolaj Ehlers scored on a breakaway 1:28 into overtime as the Winnipeg Jets secured a playoff berth with a 3-2 win over the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night.
The victory marked Winnipeg’s third consecutive postseason appearance and their seventh in the last eight years.
Ehlers capitalized on a Capitals line change in overtime, collecting the puck and firing a wrist shot past goaltender Logan Thompson for his 24th goal of the season.
The Jets swept their two-game season series against Washington, winning both in overtime.
Josh Morrissey and Mason Appleton also scored for Winnipeg, while Connor Hellebuyck made 27 saves in the win.
Alex Ovechkin scored his 889th career goal, moving six away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL record. His third-period equalizer came on a one-timer through Hellebuyck’s pads with four minutes remaining.
Andrew Mangiapane also found the net for the Capitals, who are 9-1-1 in their last 11 games.
Key Takeaways
Jets: Winnipeg adjusted to the absence of injured forward Gabriel Vilardi (upper-body), replacing him with Alex Iafallo. The line adjustments moved Adam Lowry up to center Ehlers and Appleton.
Capitals: Washington entered the game having beaten 28 of 31 teams this season, with Winnipeg, Minnesota, and Chicago remaining.
Key Stats & Moments
Game-Tying Goal: Ovechkin’s 36th goal of the season made it 2-2 late in the third, just a minute after Hellebuyck stopped Tom Wilson’s one-timer.
Winnipeg’s Dominance: The Jets improved to 37-0-1 when leading after two periods.
Up Next
Capitals visit Minnesota on Thursday while the Jets host New Jersey on Friday.
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