Calgary Flames vs. Winnipeg Jets results: Jets come back to win Heritage Classic in overtime

Jackie Spiegel

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Calgary Flames vs. Winnipeg Jets results: Jets come back to win Heritage Classic in overtime image

As the snow came down in Regina, Sask., and the temperature dipped to minus-8 degrees Celsius, the Winnipeg Jets mounted a comeback late in the third period and then defeated the Calgary Flames 2-1 in overtime in the 2019 Heritage Classic. 

After Calgary dominated early and stifled the Jets' offense, Josh Morrissey scored in the third on the power play and Bryan Little scored in OT to complete the comeback. The rally marked the 14th come-from-behind win in outdoor game history and the seventh that needed overtime.

Elias Lindholm netted a power-play goal in the second period to give the Flames the lead.

The game was a netminder's dream as the snow fell and accumulated on the rink, slowing down the puck. "Big Save Dave" Rittich made an outdoor game-record 43 saves, and he had teammate Noah Hanifin save one that squirted past him into the crease in the second. Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck made 29 stops for his fifth win of the season.

The game came almost 16 years after the NHL's first Heritage Classic — and first outdoor game — was held on a frigid night in Edmonton, Alta. This fifth edition, and the first since 2016, was played in front of 33,518 faithful fans under the lights of Mosaic Stadium. Winnipeg's win marked the first outdoor game victory for the club, which lost to the Oilers in that '16 Heritage Classic. Calgary is now 1-0-1 in the Heritage Classic; it beat the Montreal Canadiens in 2011.

Nine Jets players who played in the game three years ago suited up Saturday night: Kyle Connor, Nikolaj Ehlers, Hellebuyck, Patrik Laine, Adam Lowry, Morrissey, Mathieu Perreault, Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler. Current Jets player Mark Letestu and the Flames' Milan Lucic and Cam Talbot played for Edmonton in that one — and Talbot was also part of the Stadium Series with the New York Rangers in 2014 and Philadelphia Flyers last year. The Flames' roster has two holdovers from 2011: Mikael Backlund and captain Mark Giordano.

The game was the seventh regular-season contest to be played in Saskatchewan and the first since the Vancouver Canucks beat Edmonton in overtime on Jan. 24, 1994. It is the first one, however, to be played outside Saskatoon.

The teams will play each other two more times: March 14 and March 31, both in Calgary.

Sporting News tracked the scoring and highlights from Flames vs. Jets at the 2019 Heritage Classic.

Flames vs. Jets: scores, highlights

(All times Eastern)

1:04 a.m. — Handshakes to end the festivities.

Overtime: Jets 2, Flames 1

1:01 a.m. — GOAL. Jets win as Kyle Connor feeds a driving Bryan Little, who punches the puck past Rittich. Jets win 2-1.

1 a.m. — Back to 3-on-3 after a whistle.

1 a.m. — Josh Morrissey with a big slapper that goes right off the "C" of Rittich.

1 a.m. — Six seconds to go on the penalty kill. 

12:58 a.m. — Blake Wheeler takes his time and rips one off the crossbar. Rittich thanks the pipes for doing their jobs.

12:57 a.m. — Forty seconds to go on the penalty kill for Calgary.

12:54 a.m. — Flames take a penalty and the Jets get a power play in overtime. Friendly reminder — every goal has been scored with the man advantage in this one.

Third period: Flames 1, Jets 1

12:51 a.m. — Headed to overtime!

12:48 a.m. — Teams both getting chances as the pace has picked up considerably. There's two minutes left.

12:44 a.m. — PP GOAL.  Josh Morrissey shifted to PP1 and he fires the shot from the point that beats Rittich high glove side. Game tied 1-1.

12:41 a.m. — Mark Giordano called for hooking. Jets get a prime opportunity to tie the game up.

12:41 a.m. — Jack Roslovic has been one of the best Jets tonight; breaks in and tries to go five-hole on Rittich.

12:40 a.m. — Nikolaj Ehlers with a chance but "Big Save Dave" makes the pad save.

12:39 a.m. — Winnipeg not getting many chances; they only have eight shots in the third and there's just over six minutes remaining.

12:19 a.m. — Third period is underway. Flames start on the power play.

Second period: Flames 1, Jets 0

11:57 p.m. — Kylington being attended to and appears to be ok as he walks off with trainer. Lowry gets two for boarding. Flames will start third on the power play.

11:56 p.m. — Right before the buzzer sounds, Adam Lowry hits Oliver Kylington high and hard into the boards. Kylington's head goes right into the glass and goes down; Rittich is seen trying to pull him out of the scrum that ensues.

11:45 p.m. — It's a goal. Flames lead 1-0. Paul Maurice is not happy. Winnipeg now gets a penalty.

11:44 p.m. — Hold on. Winnipeg is challenging. Looks like Matthew Tkachuk may have knocked the puck down with a high-stick that was not called.

11:42 p.m. — PP GOAL. Johnny Gaudreau across the top of the crease to Elias Lindholm for the goal.  Flames lead 1-0.

11:38 p.m. — Flames head to the power play for the first time on the night.

11:37 p.m. — Back to even strength.

11:35 p.m. — BTW, these are classics.

11:31 p.m. — Sam Bennett called for goaltender interference — FYI, it was Anthony Bitetto's stick that clipped his netminder. Flames again head to the penalty kill. Winnipeg is 0-for-2 on the night.

11:30 p.m. — Noah Hanifin swipes the puck out of the crease as it got behind Rittich. 

11:28 p.m. — Back to 5-on-5.

11:27 p.m. — The ice is a goaltenders dream right now with all the snow accumulating.

11:25 p.m. — T.J. Brodie called for tripping and the Jets head again to the power play. They're 0-for-1 in the game.

11:21 p.m. — Hellebucyk makes two big-time saves as the snow piles up on the ice. 'Johnny Hockey' is not too happy with himself right now.

11:17 p.m. — After a turnover at the Jets blue line, Sean Monahan with a solid chance.

11:16 p.m. — The second period is underway as the snow continues to fall.

First Period: Flames 0, Jets 0

10:54 p.m. — Maurice pulls Hellebucyk with 0.7 seconds left and a faceoff deep in the Flames end; Calgary wins the draw.

10:53 p.m. — Both teams with some decent chances. Oliver Kylington with a nifty cut to the middle and a backhand that just misses the far post.

10:48 p.m. — Paul Maurice is not wearing a hat. 

10:39 p.m. — Jets don't really generate much on the power play and it's still scoreless at Mosiac Stadium.

10:36 p.m. — Sean Monahan sends the puck straight over the glass. Jets head to the power play.

10:32 p.m. — Rittich squares up and makes a save on a flying Jack Roslovic down the right wing.

10:30 p.m. — Seven minutes into the game and a revamped Flames lineup are outshooting the Jets 7-1.

10:25 p.m. — Bill Peters is wearing a cowboy hat, both netminders are wearing tuques. 

10:23 p.m. — Johnny Gaudreau with a breakaway chance but is stoned by Connor Hellebuyck as he tried to go five-hole.

10:22 p.m. — Game on!

Pregame

10:20 p.m. — Thomas Steen and Lanny McDonald out to drop the ceremonial puck with members of First Nations including Brigette Lacquette and Fred Saskamoose.

10:11 p.m. — Calgary Flames walk out in their vintage whites and Jets with the old school navy uniforms. 

10:08 p.m. — It's snowing!

9:52 p.m. — According to The Weather Channel, it is minus-3 degrees Celsius (feels like minus-10) with snow in Regina.

9:45 p.m. — More warmups.

9:33 p.m. — Warmups are underway in Regina.

9:00 p.m. — Winnipeg Jets are ready to go.

7:40 p.m. — Just in case.

5:00 p.m. — Has there ever been an outdoor game without snow?

11:30 a.m. — Classic unis.

Friday

A couple of snapshots from Friday's practices.

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Jackie Spiegel