Connor scores twice as Jets hand Seattle Kraken 4-3 loss
Apr 16, 2024, 7:56 PM
(Harry How/Getty Images)
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Kyle Connor scored twice and Tyler Toffoli broke a third-period tie to lift the Winnipeg Jets to a key 4-3 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday night.
Winnipeg Jets 4, Seattle Kraken 3: Box Score
The win clinched second place in the Central Division for the Jets and home-ice advantage in their first-round playoff series with the Colorado Avalanche.
Winnipeg (51-24-6) also stretched its win streak to seven in front of its eighth sold-out crowd of the season at Canada Life Centre.
Toffoli took a pass from Nikolaj Ehlers during a power play and sent a backhand shot past Seattle goalie Philipp Grubauer with 8:20 remaining in the third period.
Connor’s pair of markers extended his point streak to eight games, including four goals and eight assists.
Ehlers also scored and Mark Scheifele and Josh Morrissey each contributed a pair of assists.
Connor Hellebuyck made 20 saves for the Jets, who finish the regular season at home Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks.
Yanni Gourde had a goal and assist and Tomas Tatar and Tye Kartye also scored for the Kraken (33-35-13).
Grubauer stopped 20 shots for Seattle, which lost its fourth game in a row and clinched a losing final month with the loss. Seattle concludes its playoff-less season Thursday in Minnesota against the Wild.
Kartye Partye in Winnipeg 🎉 pic.twitter.com/I8bF4uUnpl
— ROOT SPORTS™ | NW (@ROOTSPORTS_NW) April 17, 2024
The Jets had veteran forward Nino Niederreiter back on the ice after he missed the past five games because of skate cut that nicked his Achilles tendon.
Winnipeg forward Morgan Barron left the game in the first period and didn’t return because of a lower-body injury.
UP NEXT
Kraken: Travel to Minnesota to play the Wild on Thursday night in their season finale.
Jets: Host the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night in their season finale.