Perfetti scores in OT, Jets rally past Canucks

VANCOUVER -- Cole Perfetti scored 1:37 into overtime, and the Winnipeg Jets came back twice to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 at Rogers Arena on Wednesday.

Perfetti snapped a rebound high over the blocker of Nikita Tolopilo from close range after the goalie deflected Adam Lowry’s centering attempt into the slot to his right.

“Great play by Lowry to go wide on the 3-on-2 and their guy changing,” said Perfetti, who was upset he turned the puck over on an earlier odd-man rush in overtime. “But luckily I got another crack at it and was able to put it home.” ​

It was the first game for each team following the break for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

Mark Scheifele had two assists, and Eric Comrie made 21 saves for the Jets (23-26-8), who won despite missing No. 1 goalie Connor Hellebuyck after winning a gold medal with Team USA on Sunday, and No. 1 defenseman Josh Morrissey after getting injured during Team Canada’s first game at the Olympics.

“It was really nice to just get back into a game after a long break,” Scheifele said. “So, obviously, we're happy to get a win coming off that.” 

Gabriel Vilardi and Kyle Connor, who was back with the Jets after winning a gold medal with Team USA but not playing in the final game on Sunday, also scored for Winnipeg. 

"Crazy travel and all that,” said Connor. “But, yeah, no place I'd rather be than back on the ice."

Tolopilo made 25 saves for the Canucks (18-33-7), who have lost four in a row and are 2-14-4 in their past 20 games. Vancouver played without veteran defenseman Tyler Myers, who was a late scratch for roster management purposes.

“I found out last night it may happen and then was told after the morning skate that we'd have to take him out,” coach Adam Foote said. “This is the time of year where this kind of thing comes up and you're kind of ready for it and it's just the way it is. It comes with the (NHL) Trade Deadline (on March 6). We're all aware of what could happen, so it's our job to make adjustments.”

Drew O'Connor put the Canucks ahead 1-0 at 1:58 of the first period after a turnover to Brock Boeser at the right point. He passed it cross-ice to O’Connor at the left face-off dot and he snapped a shot under the pads of Comrie that trickled over the goal line. 

Connor, who was re-united with Scheifele and Vilardi on the top line, tied it 1-1 at 11:42 after a blind backhand pass by Scheifele from below the goal line. He cut behind the net and pulled Tolopilo across to his right post before passing back the other way to leave Connor with an open net. 

“I reunited them and I knew that coming down the stretch here we’re going to need their offense,” Jets coach Scott Arniel said. “They were real good right from the get-go with (Connor) and (Scheifele) with that chemistry that they have. But the thing I liked about ‘KC’ is that he’s one of our best [back] trackers. He’s one of the guys that [comes] back on that line and helps to defend. He’s a real solid two-way player for us.”

Evander Kane restored the Vancouver lead 38 seconds into the second period with a quick wrist shot over Comrie’s glove to make it 2-1 after forward Elias Pettersson won an offensive zone face-off back to him inside the left circle.

“We'd tried it twice earlier in the first period, and ‘Petey’ actually said ‘third time might be the charm’ and he did a great job of winning the battle in the face-off circle,” Kane said. “And Jake (DeBrusk) made a nice play to halt the guys coming on at me, and I was able to put it away.”

Vilardi tied it 2-2 at 18:45 of the second period, outbattling Canucks defenseman Elias Pettersson at the edge of the crease to redirect a cross-ice pass from Scheifele at the bottom of the left circle over the outstretched pad of Tolopilo. 

“We had a lot of good chances,” Scheifele said of his line. “Had some speed. Nice to be back all together just playing hockey again. It was a big, big two points for us.”

NOTES: Winnipeg was also missing forward Nino Niederreiter, who is week to week with an undisclosed injury that he was playing through before joining Team Switzerland and playing at the Olympics. … The Canucks got four players back from injury. Defenseman Zeev Buium played 16:30 wearing a full face shield after missing five games with a facial fracture sustained Jan. 25 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Center Marco Rossi was plus-1 in 17:07 after missing 18 games with a lower-body injury; Boeser played 19:53 after missing five games in concussion protocol; and forward Nils Hoglander played 9:25 after missing four games with a lower-body injury.