Clayton Keller scored the overtime winner just 13 seconds into the extra frame after the Winnipeg Jets erased a three-goal deficit to tie the game late in the third period, but ultimately fell 4-3 to close out their three-game road trip. Kyle Connor scored twice, his 16th and 17th of the season, Morgan Barron added his seventh and second in as many games, and Connor Hellebuyck made 18 saves as the Jets suffered their fourth straight loss. The defeat leaves Winnipeg at 15-17-3 heading into the break.Stuck in a holeWinnipeg was hoping to avoid falling behind early like they did Friday in Denver, when they trailed the Colorado Avalanche 2-0 after the opening 20 minutes. Unfortunately, the Utah Mammoth struck twice 4:11 apart in the opening period, with goals from Lawson Crouse (9) and JJ Peterka (14), before opening up a three-goal lead at 3:01 of the second period on Alexander Kerfoot’s first of the year.
It marked the fourth straight game the Jets allowed the opening goal and the fifth time in December they’ve surrendered two or more goals in the first 20 minutes.
300 goals for KFC
Connor got the Jets on the board at 11:18 of the second period on the power play, scoring his 16th of the season and the 300th goal of his NHL career. Connor became the third player in franchise history to reach the milestone, joining Mark Scheifele and Ilya Kovalchuk.
Kyle Connor (16) gets the #NHLJets on the board on the power play 11:18 into the second period with his 300th NHL goal!
🎥 – TSN | #NHLJetsNation
Pushback for a point
The Jets finally showed some urgency in the third period, and it paid off.
Connor pulled Winnipeg within one at 15:23, taking a feed from Josh Morrissey near the right corner and one-timing a laser past Karel Vejmelka for his second of the night. Just 25 seconds later, Tanner Pearson found Morgan Barron sneaking behind the Utah defence and slipped him a pass down low. Barron broke in alone and beat Vejmelka glove side to tie the game 3-3.
As encouraging as the comeback was, head coach Scott Arniel was frustrated with another inconsistent performance.
“We got better in the second, certainly dominated in the third. But at the end of the day, you can’t play two periods in this league and look to have success,” said Arniel postgame. “That’s 35 games, for me, of inconsistency throughout the games themselves or that might be individual players. In the remaining 47, that has to change.”The Jets now get five days off before returning to action Dec. 27 at home against Quinn Hughes the Minnesota Wild. Puck drop is set for 6:00 p.m. CST on Sportsnet West.