Varlamov, Islanders shutout Jets to hand Winnipeg third consecutive loss
By Jim Bender, The Canadian Press on February 26, 2023.
WINNIPEG – Semyon Varlamov picked up his second shutout of the season with a 23-save effort and the New York Islanders handed the Winnipeg Jets their third straight loss, 4-0 on Sunday. Bo Horvat, with a short-handed goal, Alexander Romanov, Brock Nelson and Adam Pelech, into an empty net, scored for New York (31-25-7). David Rittich stopped 20-of-23 shots for Winnipeg (35-24-1). The Jets fell to 20-10-0 at Canada Life Centre this season. Pelech closed out the scoring with 2:01 remaining in the contest when he banked the puck off the boards attempting to ice it. Nelson made it a 3-0 game with just 1:19 left in the middle frame. He took a pass from Zach Parise, niftily deked around Winnipeg’s Kyle Connor and fired the puck past Rittich. New York doubled its advantage when Romanov’s screened shot from the point made it past Rittich 4:22 into the second period. The Jets did not get their second shot on goal until around the five-minute mark of the second. Horvat opened the scoring on the penalty kill 7:56 into the opening frame. He carried the puck out of his own end and into the Jets’ zone and sent a long shot that went over Rittich’s right shoulder. The Jets were outshot 12-1 through the first 20 minutes of action. NOTES With his goal, Nelson set a new career high of 60 points in a season. He now has 16 points in his last 17 games. “¦ Horvat also hit a new career mark with his 62nd point of the campaign. Newly-acquired Jet Nino Niederreiter did not dress for Sunday’s contest against the Islanders. Niederreiter was addressing a visa issue, so the Jets recalled forward Axel Jonsson-Fjallby. “¦ The Isles were missing injured forwards Mathew Barzal (lower body) and Jean-Gabriel Pageau (upper body). Forward Josh Bailey returned to action after missing three games with an upper-body injury. “¦ The Jets had killed all 13 penalties in their last four games heading into Sunday’s game. “¦ Winnipeg had scored just nine goals in its last six games. UP NEXT Jets: Will host the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday. Islanders: Will play the Wild in Minnesota on Tuesday. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 26, 2023. 18-17
