HOCKEY: Indomitable at home, Ducks continue playoff chase against Jets

The red-hot Anaheim Ducks aim to extend their home winning streak to seven games when the Winnipeg Jets visit on Friday.

Anaheim has won three straight overall and 10 of their last 12 games. That impressive stretch includes six consecutive wins at home, a promising sign as the Ducks continue a nine-game homestand.

Even the NHL’s three-week Olympic break couldn’t slow them down. On Wednesday, the Ducks edged the Edmonton Oilers 6-5 in a thrilling contest. Anaheim had to rally from three deficits and didn’t take the lead until Cutter Gauthier scored with 1:14 remaining in regulation to break a 5-5 tie.

“That kind of jolts us back into where we were before the Olympic break,” said Ducks defenseman Jacob Trouba.

“I think going down two twice and coming back is something to really pull from this game,” Trouba added. “It speaks a lot about the group and the character we’re building in the room.”

The victory kept Anaheim five points behind the Vegas Golden Knights for first place in the Pacific Division. The Ducks are balancing a bid for a division title while staying above the playoff cutline in the competitive Western Conference.

Winnipeg remains in the playoff hunt but sits 11 points behind Anaheim and nine points out of playoff position entering Thursday’s games. The Jets earned a crucial 3-2 comeback win over the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday, scoring the game-winning goal in overtime by Cole Perfetti after never holding a lead in regulation.

Kyle Connor and Gabriel Vilardi each scored, with Mark Scheifele assisting on both goals. The trio reunited on the same line, with Jets coach Scott Arniel noting, “I knew that coming down the stretch here, we’re going to need their offense.”

“They were real good right from the get-go with that chemistry they have,” Arniel said. “Connor is one of our best trackers. He helps defensively and is a solid two-way player for us.”

Scheifele has nine points (two goals, seven assists) and Connor has seven points (three goals, four assists) during their ongoing six-game point streaks.

For Anaheim, Gauthier leads the team with 26 goals and 50 points and is on a three-game scoring streak. Since backup Petr Mrazek’s season-ending hip injury in early January, Lukas Dostal has posted a 9-3-0 record in 12 starts with a .912 save percentage. The Ducks could start Dostal, Czechia’s Olympic goalie, on Friday or give Ville Husso his first action since January 26.

After helping the United States win Olympic gold, Connor Hellebuyck is expected to return to Winnipeg’s lineup Friday. The Jets started Eric Comrie against Vancouver to give Hellebuyck extra rest following the Olympics.

In their first meeting of the season, the Ducks beat the Jets 4-1 on Nov. 9, with Leo Carlsson and Beckett Sennecke each scoring twice.

-Field Level Media/Reuters