Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Pavelec’s shutout over Wild keeps pressure on Kings, Flames

Winnipeg Jets v Minnesota Wild

Ondrej Pavelec

NHLI via Getty Images

Winnipeg entered the day lacking a playoff spot and preparing for a difficult three-game road trip. These are trying times for the Jets, but they did what they could tonight by beating the Minnesota Wild 2-0.

While Jets goaltender Ondrej Pavelec had allowed at least three goals in each of his last three starts, he came up big Monday with 32 saves en route to his third shutout of the campaign. Wild defenseman Marco Scandella also played an accidental role in the Jets’ victory as the game-winning goal went off of his skate:

Blake Wheeler was credited with the goal while Drew Stafford accounted for the Jets’ other marker.

That win improves the Jets to 41-26-12 this season. That’s good enough to retake the second Wild Card seed from Los Angeles. The Kings can still maintain their hold on a playoff spot by beating Vancouver tonight, but they will be assuming the third Pacific Division seed from the idle Calgary Flames rather than pushing Winnipeg back. This loss has also put some added pressure on the Minnesota Wild, although they’re still in a strong spot in the battle for a playoff berth:

Western Conference race

Winnipeg will travel to St. Louis and Colorado before hosting the Flames in its season finale on Saturday.

Follow @RyanDadoun