WINNIPEG 鈥� Eric Comrie finally got what he deserved on Tuesday 鈥� in a good way.
The Winnipeg Jets' backup goalie made 29 saves for his first shutout of the season in a 3-0 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes that extended the team鈥檚 win streak to seven games.
The performance moved Comrie鈥檚 record to 5-7-1 in a campaign in which his teammates have often blamed themselves for not helping him out enough.
鈥淚t's always fun to get a shutout. I mean, I'm never going to complain about that,鈥� Comrie said. 鈥淥nce again the team was awesome in front of me. This is a fun group of guys to play with.鈥�
It was the third shutout of Comrie鈥檚 career. His last one was March 25, 2023, when he played for the Buffalo Sabres in a victory over the New York Islanders.
鈥淲e're always worrying about the process to get the result,鈥� Comrie said. 鈥淲hen you get the results you've got to make sure you celebrate results 鈥� make sure you understand you worked hard for that and can achieve that and did the best you can.鈥�
Nino Niederreiter and Neal Pionk both scored with the man advantage, giving the Jets an NHL-best 51 power-play goals this season.
Rasmus Kupari also scored and Niederreiter added an assist for Winnipeg (38-14-3) in front of 13,802 fans at Canada Life Centre.
Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 27 shots for Carolina (32-18-4).
Carolina went into the match with the league鈥檚 best penalty kill, and were on a run of seven straight games without giving up a power-play goal.
The Hurricanes had the game鈥檚 first power play late in the opening period and Jackson Blake scored, but a successful Winnipeg coach鈥檚 challenge wiped it off the board for goaltender interference.
鈥淚t changes the outlook of the game,鈥� Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind鈥橝mour said of the disallowed goal. 鈥淚f it goes in, we鈥檙e up one, we鈥檙e feeling pretty good. But obviously we know how those go. Sometimes you win them, sometimes you don鈥檛.鈥�
Jets forward Vladislav Namestnikov also had a goal disallowed for kicking the puck into the net with six minutes left.
Kupari鈥檚 goal was initially ruled no good because of goaltender interference, but a coach鈥檚 challenge overturned the decision to make it 3-0 at 16:17.
Comrie threw heavy praise at Winnipeg video and analytics coach Matt Prefontaine for his role in challenges.
鈥淗e's the Connor McDavid of video coaches,鈥� Comrie said.
Comrie also thanked Niederreiter for blocking a shot.
鈥淗e's awesome. He does it every single night. I have a lot of respect for Nino,鈥� he said.
Niederreiter helps him before practices so he can stay tuned up for the few games he plays when star netminder Connor Hellebuyck gets a rest.
鈥淚'm so thankful that I have a guy like (Niederreiter) to come out on the ice and shoot on me before and get me ready for my games,鈥� Comrie said. 鈥淏ecause with a guy like Connor I don't play as much as some guys, so I have to stay ready in a different way.鈥�
Niederreiter downplayed his assistance.
鈥淚t鈥檚 nice, but at the end of the day he鈥檚 the goalie and he made some terrific stops tonight,鈥� Niederreiter said. 鈥淚鈥檓 very happy he had a chance to get another win and, obviously, a shutout is great. I鈥檓 happy for him.鈥�
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 4, 2025.
Judy Owen, The Canadian Press
