Imagine this: the clock is ticking down in overtime, the arena is buzzing with tension, and then—bam!—Chris Kreider snatches victory from the jaws of defeat with a jaw-dropping goal just 13 seconds left. That’s exactly what happened when the Anaheim Ducks faced off against the Winnipeg Jets in a heart-stopping matchup at the Honda Center on Friday. But here’s where it gets controversial: Was it sheer skill or a stroke of luck that sealed the deal for the Ducks? Let’s dive in.
Kreider’s late heroics capped off a thrilling 5-4 win for Anaheim, who rallied from a two-goal deficit in the third period to secure their fourth straight victory. The play? A slick pass from Beckett Sennecke, who masterfully toe-dragged Logan Stanley in the slot, setting up Kreider for the tap-in at the left post. Sennecke, by the way, wasn’t done there—he racked up three assists on the night, proving why he’s a game-changer for the Ducks.
Anaheim’s resilience was on full display, with Pavel Mintyukov chipping in a goal and an assist, and Lukas Dostal standing tall with 29 saves. But it wasn’t just about individual efforts; it was the team’s unshakable belief in themselves that made the difference. “We just have that belief in ourselves that we’re never out of it,” Sennecke said. “That’s kind of the biggest thing in these comeback wins—we never think we’re out of it, and we know we can score goals.” And this is the part most people miss: the mental toughness required to pull off such dramatic comebacks.
Now, let’s talk about the Jets. Alex Iafallo and Kyle Connor each had a goal and an assist, while Stanley and Cole Perfetti dished out two assists apiece. Connor Hellebuyck, fresh off helping Team USA win Olympic gold, made 35 saves in a valiant effort. But despite their early lead—twice—Winnipeg couldn’t hold on. “Obviously, we had the two-goal lead twice and gave that up,” Jets coach Scott Arniel admitted. “We had some leads that we should have found a way to bring home.” Bold statement alert: Could the Jets’ inability to close out games like this be a sign of deeper issues, or just a rough patch in an otherwise solid season?
Elias Salomonsson’s first NHL goal was a highlight for Winnipeg, giving them a 3-1 lead early in the third. The 21-year-old defenseman snapped a shot blocker-side after a defensive miscue by Mason McTavish. “Stepped right into it and, yeah, happy to see that one go in,” Salomonsson said. “So, it’s pretty special.” But Anaheim wasn’t about to roll over. Leo Carlsson cut the deficit to 3-2 on a power play, and Mintyukov tied it up shortly after with a rebound goal.
Ryan Poehling then gave the Ducks their first lead of the night, 4-3, with a slick move around Dylan Samberg and a rolling puck that beat Hellebuyck’s glove. But Connor wasn’t done, tying it 4-4 with a one-timer off a spinning pass from Perfetti with Hellebuyck pulled. “The 6-on-5 goal was big at the end,” Arniel noted. “Got a point out of it.” Controversial question: Did the Jets lose this game, or did the Ducks simply outwill them?
Looking back, the Ducks’ slow starts are becoming a trend—they’ve given up the first goal in consecutive games. “We’ve got to get better starts because we can’t play every game down like that,” Jackson LaCombe admitted. “It’s just not going to work, but proud of the effort in the third.” Meanwhile, the Ducks now lead the NHL with nine multi-goal comeback wins this season, while the Jets are just 3-9 in games that go past regulation.
A few more noteworthy details: Hellebuyck’s return from the Olympics, potential injuries to Mark Scheifele and Vladislav Namestnikov, and Connor’s seven-game point streak. Oh, and Dostal? He’s a perfect 10-1-0 in his last 11 games. Final thought-provoking question: Are the Ducks a legitimate contender with their knack for comebacks, or is their reliance on late-game heroics a red flag? Let us know what you think in the comments!
