Jets ride momentum from Montreal comeback to beat Canucks 6-2

The Winnipeg Jets carried confidence from what the team called its unprecedented “Miracle in Montreal” into Thursday night’s home game against the Vancouver Canucks. Winnipeg had erased a four-goal deficit to beat the Canadiens 5-4 in overtime on Tuesday, and the two wins that followed a nine-game losing streak had given the Jets a lift. Thursday’s game began a three-game homestand against a struggling Vancouver team.

The Jets scored twice in the opening four minutes and went on to win 6-2 before 13,312 people at Canada Life Centre. Forward Dawson Mercer said Winnipeg came out with speed and built on the Montreal win, which he called spectacular and a source of motivation for the home game.

Coach Scott Arniel said the first period stood out. The Jets could have dwelled on the Montreal result, started flat and let Vancouver dictate the game, he said, but they did not. Arniel added that all the lines and the defence were ready, and that the early lead put the opposition on its heels, as the team had hoped.

Mercer scored his first goal as a Jet and added an assist. He said he had been thinking about getting that first goal, and scoring it at home in a win made it better. Mercer was a key part of the trade that sent dissatisfied star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck to the New Jersey Devils. He said the first few days after arriving were hectic, followed by travel and the challenge of getting settled. His use of speed and puck handling, he said, had improved day by day.

Arniel said Mercer’s skill was becoming more evident each game and praised his competitiveness. Mercer is used on the penalty kill, is willing to block shots and is making use of his speed. The coach said Mercer was becoming comfortable and starting to feel part of the Winnipeg Jets family.

Rookie Viggo Bjorck assisted on Mark Scheifele’s second-period goal for his first NHL point. The crowd began chanting Bjorck’s name after the assist. He said it was fun, though he had thought the point might come a couple of games earlier. He praised the passionate home fans and said playing in Winnipeg was enjoyable.

Bjorck acknowledged that going without a point had been difficult. He said working through that stretch mattered to him; it was not the end of the world, but it had been mentally tough. Hockey would not always be glamorous, he said, and sometimes a player had to grind through a difficult spell. He hoped more points would come and said the team was hungry for more after a tough stretch of games. The Canadian Press first published this report on Nov. 6, 2026.