WINNIPEG, Manitoba — A season of visible progress for the Ducks ended with an overtime loss to the team that set the bar for the entire NHL this season.
Mark Scheifele scored at 1:11 of overtime to give the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets a 2-1 victory over the Ducks on Wednesday night in the regular-season finale for both teams.
The Jets finished at 56-22-4 to set a franchise record with 116 points.
Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves for Winnipeg in his 47th victory, the most in franchise history, and the Jets wrapped up the Jennings Trophy for fewest goals against. Hellebuyck began the night second in the league in goals-against average (2.02) and save percentage (.924).
“They’re a big, heavy team, very difficult to play against, very hard to get inside ice on them,” Ducks coach Greg Cronin told NHL.com. “They get that blend of skill, with Connor and Scheifele right now, but when they get [Nikolaj] Ehlers back (from injury) they’re going to be a real threat. I mean, I really like the way they play; they’re disciplined, they’re structured. It’ll be an interesting playoffs.”
Ville Husso stopped 42 shots for the Ducks, who ended the season on a four-game losing streak (0-2-2) but finished 35-37-10 (80 points) for a 21-point improvement on their 2023-24 showing. They have missed the playoffs for seven consecutive seasons.
“I’m really excited, probably the most excited I’ve been since I’ve been here just with the steps that so many guys took this year,” Ducks forward Troy Terry told NHL.com. “The way we kind of came together as a team, I really do think that there’s another big step to be had next year and we have the group to do it.
“I don’t want anyone to be satisfied; we didn’t achieve our goals. But I think there’s a lot of reason to be optimistic, and it’s a little easier to push each other going into the summer when you can see kind of the light at the end of the tunnel. And really excited about going into next year.”
Winnipeg’s Josh Morrissey made a great defensive play to break up a Ducks 2-on-1 in overtime, then raced down the ice with Scheifele and Kyle Connor. After Connor’s shot just missed the net, he retrieved the puck, passed to Morrisey, who sent it to Scheifele.
The Jets took a 1-0 lead at 13:49 of the second period.
Winnipeg center Vladislav Namestnikov won a faceoff against Ducks rookie Tim Washe, who was playing in his second NHL game since helping Western Michigan win the NCAA title on Saturday.
The puck went back to Neal Pionk at the left point, and he brought the puck toward the middle before firing a slap shot into the top left corner for his 10th goal of the season.
The Ducks spoiled Hellebuyck’s chance at his ninth shutout of the season when Terry tied it 1-1 at 5:45 of the third period.
Frank Vatrano took a slap shot that Hellebuyck was unable to glove. The puck fell to the side of Hellebuyck, where Terry was in position to shoot it into the net. The Ducks’ Ian Moore, playing in his third NHL game, tipped the puck before it went off Hellebuyck’s glove, giving him an assist for his first NHL point.
Terry, who beat the Jets, 4-3, with an overtime goal on Jan. 2, finished the season as the Ducks’ leader in points (55) and assists (34), while his 21 goals tied for second on the team with forward Vatrano (21) behind Mason McTavish (22). Terry has led or co-led the Ducks in goals in three of the previous four seasons.
Husso made 19 saves in the scoreless first period, a frame that included the Ducks holding the Jets without a shot on goal for 58 seconds when the hosts had a two-man advantage.
Winnipeg will face the St. Louis Blues in a best-of-seven first-round playoff series beginning Saturday at 3 p.m. PT.
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