- Clay Stevenson made 30 saves in his first start for the Winnipeg Jets
- Winnipeg scored three times in the third to hand Pittsburgh its first loss
- Read below for Stevenson’s reaction and his postgame video
Clay Stevenson’s first start in a Jets sweater couldn’t have gone much better.
The 27-year-old goalie made 30 saves on 32 shots Monday night as Winnipeg rallied for a 3-2 win over the Penguins at PPG Paints Arena. It was Pittsburgh’s first loss of the season.
Asked after the game what the win meant to him, Stevenson had a hard time finding the words:
“I honestly don’t have the words, but it means a lot, that’s for sure. Really wanted to be there for those guys, in this moment, and just try to stay pretty calm and collected in the net. It was really fun. Maybe wanted a lot of redemption for this one, from my NHL debut a while back.”
That debut came in this exact building. Stevenson made 33 saves for the Capitals in a 5-2 loss to the Penguins on April 17, 2025, his first career NHL game.
He also gave plenty of credit to the skaters in front of him. Here’s Stevenson’s postgame interview:
Winnipeg claimed Stevenson off waivers from Washington on Sept. 28. He sat as Stuart Skinner’s backup for the first two games, then got the nod on the back half of a back-to-back after the Jets won 3-2 in Detroit on Sunday.
Things didn’t start well. Ben Kindel redirected a Declan Carlile pass at 9:27 of the second period to put Pittsburgh up 1-0. Officials waved it off for a high stick, but a review showed Kindel’s stick was below the crossbar.
Then the third period flipped. Alex Iafallo tied it at 4:43, tucking in a rebound from below the goal line, and Adam Lowry backhanded a loose puck home at 7:08 for the lead.
Carlile answered at 8:53 to make it 2-2. Cole Perfetti needed just nine seconds to put the Jets back in front, ripping a one-timer from the high slot off a Josh Morrissey feed.
Check out the Perfetti goal:
Perfetti now has five points (two goals, three assists) through three games.
Jets head coach Scott Arniel was asked about his new goalie’s night. He liked what he saw.
“He made some big, big stops, right up until the end of the game. He was real solid, looked confident, looked comfortable. It was great to see a kid come in here like that, new organization, late in training camp, and come as advertised.”
Stevenson also talked about the mood in the room while Winnipeg chased the game.
“No quit. Everyone’s pulling on that rope, they’re leaning on one another. That support is huge. There was a lot of support in the room in the intermissions.”
Sergei Murashov made 31 saves for the Penguins, who had outscored their first two opponents 13-5. Winnipeg improved to 2-0-1.
Watch the full Jets vs. Penguins highlights:
The Jets’ crease is still a work in progress. Connor Hellebuyck remains suspended amid his trade standoff, and Skinner is expected to carry most of the load. Stevenson gave Arniel a good reason to trust the backup whenever his number gets called.
