The Winnipeg Jets had their chances to make Sunday’s Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic a different story. They outshot the Montreal Canadiens 34-21, pushed back in the third period and found a late goal to give the crowd at Princess Auto Stadium something to cheer for. But two goals in the second period proved to be the difference in a 2-1 loss in front of 32,342 fans.
For much of the afternoon, Winnipeg had trouble turning its opportunities into goals. Montreal goaltender Jacob Fowler stopped 33 of 34 shots, helping the Canadiens hold off a Jets team that outshot them 13-6 in the third period.
The first period ended scoreless, but Montreal found its opening early in the second. Lane Hutson put the Canadiens ahead at 7:19 with a wrist shot, assisted by Noah Dobson and Cole Caufield. Less than four minutes later, Kaiden Guhle doubled the lead at 11:04, with Caufield and Juraj Slafkovský picking up the assists.
Winnipeg had opportunities to respond, including on four power plays, but finished the game 0-for-4. Head coach Scott Arniel said the team needs contributions from more than its top line if it wants to turn those chances into goals.
“Offense has to come from all five guys,” Arniel said.
That means getting to the net, creating traffic and finding ways to score on rebounds and deflections. Arniel emphasized that the Jets cannot rely on clean looks alone. Against goaltenders as good as the ones in the NHL, sometimes a goal comes from getting inside and making a play in a crowded area rather than trying to create the perfect opportunity.
Winnipeg kept pushing in the third, and Isak Rosén gave the Jets a chance to make things interesting. At 15:24, Rosén scored his first goal of the season, with Gabriel Vilardi and Haydn Fleury earning the assists. The goal brought Winnipeg within one, but the Jets could not find the equalizer before time ran out.
For Rosén, the goal was a welcome result after working to create chances and contribute away from the puck. Adam Lowry said the young forward had been doing several things well, even when those efforts had not shown up on the scoresheet.
“I'm really happy to see that first one,” Lowry said.
The goal gave the Jets a late push, but it also reflected the kind of secondary scoring Arniel has been looking for. With opponents paying close attention to Winnipeg's top players, contributions from throughout the lineup can make a difference.
“I thought the third we did a really good job forcing turnovers with those opportunities, being aggressive, and really generating some chances,” Lowry said. “That's the way we need to play for the full 60.”
The loss was not the only adjustment Winnipeg was navigating. Dawson Mercer made his Jets debut after arriving in the blockbuster trade with New Jersey that involved franchise goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. With limited time to get comfortable with a new team and system, Mercer had to learn on the fly.
“Definitely weird situation being thrown into, but honestly a pretty special one that I'll definitely cherish,” Mercer said. “Obviously, that becomes not what we wanted, but overall nice to get going with the guys right away and then build on it from here.”
Mercer had some familiarity to lean on in Lowry, whom he played with at the World Championships a few years ago. Lowry reached out around the time of the trade, helping make an unfamiliar situation feel a little less so.
The outdoor setting offered another first impression. Mercer said the pregame introductions caught him off guard, while the flyover became one of the moments he would remember from the day. Having previously experienced Winnipeg as an opposing player, he knew the city cared about hockey. The Heritage Classic gave him a different view of that passion.
“They got a lot to live up to now at the next home game, so I'm expecting a lot,” Mercer said of the fans.
The atmosphere was a highlight for Arniel, too. The alternating cheers for the Canadiens and Jets, the families in attendance and the excitement surrounding the flyover made the outdoor game memorable. For players experiencing it for the first time, it was a chance to be part of something different from a typical regular-season afternoon.
Still, the result left Winnipeg looking for answers on the ice. The Jets generated enough chances to make a game of it, particularly late, but Montreal capitalized on its opportunities in the second period and Fowler kept the lead intact.
Rosén's goal gave the home crowd a reason to believe a comeback was possible. The equalizer never came, and the Canadiens left Winnipeg with a 2-1 win.
For the Jets, the challenge now is to carry the urgency they showed late in the third into a full game, while finding more ways to get contributions across the lineup.
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