Winnipeg played in Anaheim on Friday where they led 3-1 in the third period but let it slip away, finding themselves down by one late in the game. They managed to tie it and force overtime but ultimately fell 5-4, still picking up a point. Alex Iafallo (10), Gabriel Vilardi (23), Elias Salomonsson (1), and Kyle Connor (27) scored for Winnipeg, with Salomonsson netting his first NHL goal. Connor Hellebuyck made 35 saves in his first game back from the Olympics, while Winnipeg dropped to 23-26-9 and sits 10 points back of the final Wild-Card spot heading into Sunday’s matchup.
“It’ll be good to play against them,” said Duehr after Saturday’s practice. “I just want to play my game, play a simple game, fast, hard, and be disruptive out there. Be physical, be good in my own end. Just be a simple and fast game.”
The 28-year-old played eight games with the Sharks last season, scoring twice while adding nine points in 16 appearances with the San Jose Barracuda in the AHL. He’s tallied 26 points (12G, 14A) in 39 games with the Manitoba Moose this season.
Defenceman Haydn Fleury will slot in for the first time since suffering a scary injury on Jan. 6 against Las Vegas. Fleury was knocked over and slid hard into the end boards, resulting in a broken nose and bruised back that required him to be taken off the ice on a stretcher.
As the calendar flips to March, Sunday afternoon marks the second of three meetings between Winnipeg and San Jose. The Jets dropped the season-series opener 2-1 in regulation on Nov. 7, 2025.
Connor – Scheifele – Vilardi
Perfetti – Lowry – Iafallo
Nyquist – Toews – Duehr
Koepke – Barron – Pearson
Stanley – DeMelo
Samberg – Salomonsson
Fleury – Schenn
Hellebuyck
Comrie
Up Next:
Puck drop is set for 3:00 p.m. CT on TSN3.