Winnipeg Jets and Pittsburgh Penguins: did a short-handed strike and shootout decide the matinee?

The Winnipeg Jets left the Penguins with a 5-4 shootout loss at PPG Paints Arena to move to 28-29, while the Pens improved to 35-18, and the game finished 5-4. The Jets recorded 4 goals on 25 shots and won 59 percent of the faceoffs, while the Penguins posted 4 goals on 30 shots and finished at 41 percent on draws.

First period

The Jets scored 1 goal in the first period as their scoring line showed 1 point in the opening period. The Penguins answered with 2 goals in the first period as their scoring line listed 2 points in that opening frame. The Jets were credited with 15 hits in the game, while the Penguins finished with 29 hits.

Second period

The Jets added 1 goal in the second period, and their team log showed 1 power play opportunity with 0 power play goals. The Penguins scored 1 goal in the second period, and their team sheet showed 2 power play opportunities with 0 power play goals. The Jets finished the game with 15 giveaways and 4 takeaways, and the Penguins ended with 14 giveaways and 5 takeaways.

Third period

The Jets scored 2 goals in the third period and logged 1 short-handed goal on 1 short-handed shot, with 1 short-handed assist recorded. The Penguins scored 1 goal in the third period, and all 4 of their goals came at even strength. Winnipeg Jets post-match stats showed 12 blocked shots for the Jets and 14 blocked shots for the Penguins.

Overtime

The Jets put 1 shot on goal in overtime and did not record an overtime goal. The Penguins generated 5 overtime shots and also did not score in overtime, sending the game to a shootout. Connor Hellebuyck made 26 saves on 30 shots against for the Jets, while the Penguins goaltender stopped 21 shots on 25 attempts.

Shootout

The Jets went 0-for-2 in the shootout, while the Penguins scored 2 shootout goals on 3 attempts and secured the extra point. Pittsburgh’s shootout goaltending line showed 2 saves on 2 shots against, while Winnipeg’s shootout line showed 1 save on 3 shots against. The Winnipeg Jets final whistle reaction centered on a night when the Jets produced 4 even-strength goals but did not convert their shootout chances.

Key Jets performances and team notes

Brad Lambert led the Jets skaters with 2 points on 1 goal and 1 assist, and he added 3 shots. Kyle Connor finished with 5 shots for the Jets and recorded 2 takeaways. Neal Pionk scored 1 goal on 2 shots for the Jets, and Morgan Barron scored 1 goal on 1 shot. The Winnipeg Jets post-game interviews also revisited what went wrong for Winnipeg Jets in a game where the Jets had 1 power play shot and the Penguins had 1 power play shot.

The Jets next game will be broadcast on March 22, 2026 at 12:00 PM EDT at Madison Square Garden in New York on ESPN+ and MSG. Catch the next recap after the broadcast, and share this article with other Jets fans.