WINNIPEG — The Boston Bruins spoiled the Winnipeg Jets' season opener with a 4-3 overtime victory Friday night in Winnipeg, rallying late to win their second game of the season and hand Winnipeg a loss in its first. JJ Peterka beat Stuart Skinner five-hole with 1:39 remaining in overtime for the winner after Elias Lindholm tied it with 1:38 left in regulation.
Winnipeg opened the scoring on Dylan DeMelo's long-range blast from the point before rookie Tyrel Bauer dropped the gloves on his first career shift against Mark Kastelic. Boston answered before the first intermission as Hampus Lindholm's wrist shot through traffic evened it and James Hagens tapped in his first career goal alone at the side of the net to make it 2-1, despite Winnipeg leading 12-9 in shots. The middle frame brought a jumbotron and clock malfunction that forced public address announcer Jay Richardson to announce time remaining every 30 seconds, plus milestones at both ends — Kyle Connor scored on the power play for his ninth straight season opener with a goal, an NHL record, and Mario Ferraro fired home his first goal as a Jet.
Winnipeg carried a 3-2 lead into the final minutes and held off Boston until the Bruins pulled Jeremy Swayman for the extra attacker with two minutes left. After a timeout, Boston needed just six seconds to equalize when captain David Pastrnak's centring pass was tipped by Elias Lindholm past Skinner. In overtime, after the puck hit the skate of a Bruins player heading off the ice, Boston regained possession and Peterka converted for the winner. Skinner finished with 26 saves on 30 shots while Swayman stopped 30 of 33, as the building featured "STUU" chants for the new Jets goaltender and an appearance from former Jet Jonathan Toews in the crowd.
Winnipeg now heads on the road for two games before returning home for a Wednesday night date with Colorado, with stops in Detroit on Sunday afternoon and Pittsburgh on Monday.