Jets score 4 unanswered goals in 3rd to down Ducks

*Photo from the Globe and Mail*

   All it takes is one period to completely shift things. Josh Morrissey had two assists, Gabriel Vilardi scored, and the Winnipeg Jets defeated the Anaheim Ducks with a 4-2 victory on Sunday night in Anaheim.

   The Jets picked up their 4th straight win and 7th of their last 10 by scoring 4 unanswered goals to take down the Ducks on the road. Morrissey was the only multi point player for the Jets, who saw 10 skaters record at least a point.

   After a scoreless first period, Alex Killorn scored on the power play at the 16:07 mark of the second period, making it 1-0. Adam Henrique made it 2-0 Ducks just 1:15 into the 3rd period on his 5th goal of the season. Nino Niederreiter scored 43 seconds later to get the Jets on the board, making it 2-1 on his 7th goal of the season.

   Morgan Barron scored his 5th goal of the season 5:55 into the 3rd for the Jets, tying the game 2-2 with assists from Morrissey and David Gustafsson. With 1:42 left on the clock, Morrissey and Dylan DeMelo assisted on Vilardi's go ahead goal, his first of the season. Mark Scheifele sealed the 4-2 win with an empty net goal.

   Vilardi said of the 4 goal comeback that "We had all those power plays and nothing was going. A lot of teams would just hang their heads. We just kept battling and battling and we got some greasy goals, and sometimes that's what it takes to win."

   Starting in net for the Jets was Connor Hellebuyck, who had a solid game to get the win and improve to 13-6-1 in 20 starts. Hellebuyck stopped 25 of the 27 shots the Ducks sent his way, good for a .926 save percentage.

   Getting the start for the Ducks opposite Hellebuyck was John Gibson, who got handed the loss to drop to 5-12-0 in 18 starts. Gibson turned aside 27 out of the 30 shots on goal the Jets tested him with, giving him an even .900 save percentage.

   Ducks head coach Greg Cronin said of the loss that "It's terrible. You lose a game that you could have won. You've got to stay positive and pull out the positive things we’re doing. You have to turn it. It’s got to turn."

   The Jets stay on the road to take on the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night, with Laurent Brossoit the likely starter. Gibson is projected to start for the Ducks as they travel to face the New York Islanders on Wednesday night.