Attempt number two at the Jets clinching a spot in the NHL playoffs (on their own) was tonight at Canada Life Centre against the Washington Capitals. It was a clash between the top two teams in the NHL league standings, with the Capitals leading the Jets by 2 points with 1 game in hand. The Jets were looking to rebound from a tough 5-3 loss against the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday afternoon. Going into tonight’s game, the Jets knew that all they needed was 1 point to secure their position in this year’s post-season.

In terms of the lineup, the Jets had to make some adjustments with the news that Gabriel Vilardi will be out week-to-week with an upper-body injury. Alex Iafallo moved up to line 1 with Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele, Adam Lowry and Mason Appleton moved up to line 2 with Nikolaj Ehlers, and Vladislav Namestnikov and Cole Perfetti moved down to line 3. Tonight’s game could have gone either way, but at the end it was the home team who came up on top with the big 2 points. Here’s a recap of tonight’s NHL action at Canada Life Centre.

The buzz in Canada Life Centre seemed extra noticeable tonight, even from just watching on TV. There was a good pace to this game in the first 5 minutes, but in terms of shots on goal it was only 1-0 for the Jets. After a few more chances, the Jets opened the scoring almost 7 minutes into this game. Dylan DeMelo sent Mark Scheifele the puck at centre ice, who entered the zone and dropped one back to Josh Morrissey, who slapped one on net. A screened Logan Thompson couldn’t see the puck, and it looked like Alex Iafallo got a deflection, but the goal was credited to Morrissey.

Fast forward to 3 minutes left in the 1st, when Colin Miller drilled Andrew Mangiapane into the boards. Miller got a 2 minute minor for boarding, while Mangiapane responded to the hit with a cross-check on Miller which was noticed and called. Neither team would score on the 4 on 4, but fresh out of the penalty box, Mangiapane did a give and go with the newly extended Jacob Chychrun, and Mangipane wristed one past Connor Hellebuyck to tie this game at 1. Shots on goal after the 1st were 8-6 for the Jets.

The intensity picked up in the 2nd, and it was Hellebuyck’s best period of this game, with the shots being 12-7 in favour of the Capitals. The Capitals got 2 powerplays this period due to a trip by Cole Perfetti followed a few minutes later by an unsportsmanlike conduct call on Luke Schenn. Just like the game against the Sabres, the Jets penalty kill was playing great, shutting down the Capitals both times.

The Jets got a late powerplay in the 2nd after Martin Fehervary was called for holding against Kyle Connor. This man advantage was just alright, but shortly after the powerplay expired, the Jets would take the lead. Cole Perfetti carried the puck into the zone and sent it over to Nino Niederreiter. After a look across the ice, Niedrreiter found Mason Appleton at the top of the faceoff dot, and he sniped one past Thompson. The Jets took a 2-1 lead with just 12 seconds left in the 2nd thanks to Appleton’s 9th of the season.

The 3rd period had a real playoff feel to it, and the Capitals would lead in shots 11-9. The lone powerplay would go to the Jets after Taylor Raddysh interfered with Nino Niederreiter around the 6 minute mark. The Jets were pushing for that 3-1 goal, but the Capitals kept it a one goal game, and both teams finished 0 for 2 on the powerplay tonight.

Fast forward to 4 minutes left in the game, when Alex Ovechkin scored his 889th goal of his historic career. Trevor Van Riemsdyk set up Alexei Protas, who found Ovechkin in his favourite shooting position, and he snapped one past Hellebuyck to tie this game at 2. Both teams were fairly evenly matched through 3 periods, and the shots finished 28-25. This game would need overtime, and the one point would be enough for the Jets to clinch their spot of this season’s playoffs.

Nikolaj Ehlers would send Jets fans home happy with an overtime winner on the only shot of the extra frame. Adam Lowry dropped one back to Dylan Samberg, who fired one off the boards down to Ehlers. Using his speed, Ehlers went down the ice and wristed one up past Thompson to give the Jets the 3-2 overtime win 88 seconds in.

Tonight was a terrific rematch of the February 1st game where the Jets also won in overtime against the Capitals. This game really felt like a battle between the best in the East and the best in the West, and now the Jets have pulled within 1 point of the Capitals, who will still have 1 game in hand. The Jets 2.0 have made history by it being the 1st time that they’ve been the 1st team in the Western Conference to clinch a playoff spot. Now that a playoff spot is secured, the next goal will be to clinch 1st in the Central Division, with the Dallas Stars now only 8 points behind the Jets with 2 games in hand.

The 4 game home stand continues for the Jets on Friday night against the New Jersey Devils. The Jets will be battling a team that is desperately trying to regain its form in order to not lose its playoff position. Puck drop is just after 7 pm CT at Canada Life Centre, and make sure to check back here for pre and post game articles.