"The Captain and the Winnipeg Boys": 2025-26 Regular Season, Game 21: Carolina Hurricanes at Winnipeg Jets

Before the teams took the ice for tonight's game, the Winnipeg Jets dropped a bombshell with Connor Hellebuyck undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery, taking him out for the next 4-6 weeks. This impacts not only tonight's battle but also their battle next Friday night in Raleigh. It gives full reins to Eric Comrie, who owns a shutout against the Canes during the calendar year. The Canes both did and didn't deserve a point on Wednesday night, falling 4-3 in a shootout in Minnesota. Their trip is halfway done, with the finish line just on the other side of the weekend. The team needs the top guys to step up and be impactful, especially with how well the Jets' stars are playing. Maybe Brandon Bussi could have something to say about that. 

Scoring Summary

1st Period

CAR (0:16)- Jordan Staal (6) (Jordan Martinook (6))

WPG (3:37)- Josh Morrissey (5) (Mark Scheifele (17) & Dylan DeMelo (8))

WPG (9:28-PP)- Gabriel Vilardi (7) (Cole Perfetti (2))

2nd Period

CAR (3:08)- Jordan Staal (7) (Jalen Chatfield (4) & K'Andre Miller (7))

CAR (6:31-SH)- Seth Jarvis (11) (Sebastian Aho (12) & K'Andre Miller (8))

3rd Period

CAR (3:19-PP)- Andrei Svechnikov (7) (Nikolaj Ehlers (10) & Shayne Sebastian Aho (13))

WPG (4:13)- Gabriel Vilardi (8) (Kyle Connor (14))

My Thoughts

Let's start with the night's biggest talking point before the game. I 100% hated the decision to scratch Alexander Nikishin tonight with Jalen Chatfield returning to the lineup. I think Mike Reilly should've been the odd-man out, and I thought that before he made an egregious turnover short-handed, leading to a Winnipeg goal in the first period. This decision made no sense to me from any strategic aspect of the game. There has been so much to like about Nikishin's game, even when he isn't showing up on the scoresheet. Most importantly, he has been a valuable penalty killer. That the Canes won will make this decision an afterthought for the time being, but it's not something I want to see become the norm because Nikishin deserves every opportunity to thrive. That's my rant. Now, for the game.

There's something about Jordan Staal and tone-setting goals that has been a big positive this season. He did it in Los Angeles during the team's State Fair trip, scoring his 300th goal almost immediately, he broke the ice against the Bruins in the second period to start this trip, and he did it again tonight, needing just 16 seconds to draw first blood in Winnipeg. While the Canes couldn't sustain their start, Staal was there to get even early in the second. He got open in the high slot to redirect Chatfield's pass, and it was a thing of beauty. The big guns took over from there, though Staal threw one wide of the empty net late in the game, coming relatively close to finishing the hat trick. He was the best Hurricane on the ice, though he had some decent competition.

While the night was about Nikolaj Ehlers coming back to Winnipeg for the first time, there was another Winnipeg boy who made his mark. Shortly after Staal tied the game at two, the Canes had to kill a penalty. This is where the Canes' penalty kill helped turn the tide for good. K'Andre Miller made a great play at the defensive blue line to cut off a pass, springing Sebastian Aho for a breakaway. While Aho was stopped, Seth Jarvis won a race to the loose puck and popped it past Eric Comrie. It was a great sequence for the trio. Aho and Miller each finished with two helpers, while Jarvis snapped a five-game goalless drought. However, all eyes were on Ehlers, and he might've made the play of the night on the power play in the third. He sold his shot beautifully, opening up a seam to Andrei Svechnikov. He put the pass perfectly on his stick, and Svechnikov had the entire net to shoot at as Comrie was caught. Ehlers could've had more than just an assist, missing a great chance on his backhand earlier in the game, but it was a great moment, setting up the game-winning goal.

Brandon Bussi wasn't supposed to start tonight. It would've been Pyotr Kochetkov if he hadn't woken up this morning feeling less than 100%. Instead, the Canes put Bussi in the net, 12 days since his last start in Toronto. He didn't catch many breaks tonight, allowing goals off a bad line change, a bad turnover, and a bad bounce off Chatfield's skate. There were many online who were quick to point out that Bussi did something tonight that Frederik Andersen couldn't on Wednesday. Bussi made some big stops down the stretch. His best of the night might've been a 2-on-1 stop on Mark Scheifele after an excellent spinning backhand pass from Kyle Connor. He anticipated the play perfectly, absorbing the shot in his crest. In six starts, Bussi has come up with five wins, tying him with Andersen for the most on the team in five fewer starts. His poise late in the game helped get the Canes the two points and ensured a winning road trip.

First Star of the Game: Jordan Staal

I won't waste anyone's time rehashing everything I wrote above. Jordan Staal was the pace-setter for the Canes tonight. He's now tied with Andrei Svechnikov for third on the team in goals, picking up his fourth in four games, and his third on this trip. The captain is feeling it right now.

Next Up: The Canes finish their four-game trip with a Sunday matinee in Buffalo. From there, the Canes begin a seven-game homestand, taking them into early December. They host the Rangers on Wednesday on Thanksgiving Eve before the Jets make the trip to Raleigh on Black Friday. The Canes finish November by welcoming the Calgary Flames next Sunday.