WINNIPEG — Mark Scheifele wasn’t complaining about having to celebrate a game-winning goal more than once.
The Jets centre scored with 20 seconds left in overtime to give Winnipeg a 2-1 victory over Washington on Saturday that snapped the Capitals’ season-high, six-game winning streak.
Defenceman Jacob Trouba sent a pass from behind the net to Scheifele, who fired the puck low past goaltender Braden Holtby on the glove side for his 10th goal of the season. But Washington head coach Barry Trotz challenged the goal thinking Jets forward Blake Wheeler was offside. It was upheld after a review that lasted more than five minutes.
“It’s definitely a mood-killer,” Scheifele said. “I was pretty jacked up and then I see them challenge it and then they’re looking at it forever. So it definitely kills the mood a little bit, but all in all it’s two points.”
The video review was also a first for Winnipeg coach Paul Maurice.
“First time celebrated a win three times,” he said.
Playing in his third NHL game, and first involving 3-on-3 overtime, Jets rookie Connor Hellebuyck made 37 saves to remain undefeated.
“It was pretty exhausting,” the 22-year-old goalie said. “For a while there, they were holding (the puck) in. That’s just how it goes. They hold it in and then you get a lucky break in the other (end).”
Holtby had his career-high, eight-game winning streak end. He stopped 34 of the 36 shots he faced.
Both teams got power-play goals. Andrew Ladd scored for Winnipeg (13-12-2) and Nicklas Backstrom for Washington (18-5-2).
The Jets were 1-for-5 with the man advantage and the Caps were 1-for-4.
“I think it got us out of our rhythm a little bit, the PKs (penalty kills) and what not,” Holtby said. “I’m not saying we played a bad game, but we just knew we need to step it up another level if we want to keep winning consistently.
“We take a point, we look at it tomorrow and figure out what we can get better at and move on.”
Wheeler said the reviewed play was close.
“I was consciously thinking to stay onside,” he said. “That’s the worst thing you can do when you have the opportunity coming up the ice with speed is to go offside. So, I know that.
“I know I was behind the puck. And from there, I was pretty sure I waited for him to get over the blue line before I tried to kick it into gear. Maybe I just did by a hair.”
Trotz, who’s still looking for his first coach’s challenge win in four attempts this season, said he thought Wheeler was offside.
“I was pretty confident,” Trotz said. “It was right away. You can clearly see his (Wheeler’s) foot is up, puck goes over. And I think that was 100 per cent when I watched it, or I’m 100 per cent sure it was over.
“We thought it was (offside) when it was originally live and then you look at the three different angles, it’s no question. But, they’ll give you an inconclusive statement, I’m sure, protect their guys, but it is what it is.”
“It’s flawed a little bit,” Trotz added. “I mean, they don’t want to call that in a hostile building, I’m sure. But you can’t have a play like that on a six-inch tablet. You better put it on a big screen and look at it. And then have the people who are making those decisions make that decision. To me, that was a good example of that so, anyway, I don’t agree with it.
“The league’s doing their best to do it right and I’m totally for that, but I don’t know how they came up with inconclusive, so it’s just my opinion.”
Winnipeg heads to Chicago for a Sunday afternoon game. Michael Hutchinson, who’s 4-0-1 against the Blackhawks, is expected to start in net.
The Capitals ended a three-game road trip that included victories in Montreal and Toronto. They host Detroit on Tuesday.
