WINNIPEG 鈥� Mark Scheifele couldn鈥檛 have picked a more dramatic way to become the Winnipeg Jets鈥� franchise leader for goals on Monday.
Scheifele recorded his 329th career goal on a rebound 1:33 into overtime to give the Jets a 2-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks and boost the team鈥檚 franchise-record win streak to 10 games.
鈥淵eah, that was fun. That building was rocking,鈥� said Scheifele, who passed Ilya Kovalchuk鈥檚 Atlanta Thrashers鈥� record with his team-leading 32nd goal of the season.
鈥淭heir goalie stood on his head all night and made us go 59 minutes and 30 seconds to get past him. But obviously, that was a big win.鈥�
Vitek Vanecek stopped 33 shots for the NHL鈥檚 last-place Sharks, but didn鈥檛 see a crucial puck fly past him.
Jets defenceman Josh Morrisey tied the game with a blast from the top of the circle with 26 seconds remaining in the third after Connor Hellebuyck was pulled with 1:37 left.
鈥淥n the first one I didn't see anything, I can tell you that,鈥� Vanecek said of Morrissey鈥檚 goal. 鈥淎nd then on the second one, (Nikolaj) Ehlers shot on my pad and then it was a rebound and then they just put it in.鈥�
William Eklund scored a power-play goal for San Jose (15-36-8), whose 18 shots on goal was its lowest this season by one shot.
Hellebuyck made 17 saves in front of 13,801 fans at Canada Life Centre, where some loudly booed at the start of the American anthem.
Scheifele said the franchise record wasn鈥檛 on his mind too much.
鈥淵ou think about it, but you also don鈥檛 really think about it. It is what it is,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou just want to go out there and play good hockey. When a chance to score a goal comes, you obviously want to bury it. It felt nice.鈥�
Scheifele played his 855th career game, all with the Jets. He now has 782 points, including his goals and 453 assists.
The 31-year-old Ontario product was Winnipeg鈥檚 first draft pick in 2011 (seventh overall) after the Thrashers were bought and relocated to Manitoba.
What if someone had told him back then he would break the record?
鈥淗e wouldn鈥檛 believe it, that鈥檚 for sure,鈥� Scheifele said. 鈥淎 kid from Kitchener, playing with the Kitchener Dutchman way back when I was 16, I never would have believed you.
鈥淎ll you鈥檝e got to do is trust in God鈥檚 plan and that鈥檚 what I鈥檝e done. Obviously, I am very grateful for my family, and the Winnipeg Jets organization. They were the ones who trusted in me. I just want to keep on playing well for them.鈥�
He and Hellebuyck are the cornerstones of the franchise, with both signing seven-year, US$59.5-million contracts in October 2023 that kicked in this season.
Morrissey said he was glad Scheifele made history.
鈥淚鈥檝e been thinking about that goal probably more than him,鈥� Morrissey said. 鈥淵ou know, I envisioned it giving him a backdoor tap-in and whatnot.
鈥淥bviously for him to get that OT winner and get the record, what an accomplishment. What he means to the city, this organization, from basically Day 1 that the Jets came back.
鈥淭he first pick, the things he鈥檚 done in this community, for the fan base. I mean you saw the fans embrace him. It鈥檚 special. He鈥檚 one of my best friends. You know, so happy for him. He works so hard. That鈥檚 a lot of goals, so it鈥檚 pretty impressive.鈥�
Jets head coach Scott Arniel also praised the talented centre, who has 65 points this season.
鈥淭hat's a great accomplishment. Just shows the longevity, how he's played through his career, and he should be real proud of what he's done so far,鈥� Arniel said.
鈥淗e's got lots more to go, but to do it on a game-winner in overtime, he'll remember that one.鈥�
It was the second consecutive game that the Jets pulled a late victory out of a hat.
Gabriel Vilardi tied it 3-3 with 28 seconds remaining in regulation against the St. Louis Blues last Saturday. Kyle Connor ended up getting the only shootout goal for Winnipeg鈥檚 victory.
The Jets moved into first place in the NHL, one point up on the idle Washington Capitals.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 24, 2025.
Judy Owen, The Canadian Press
