Just when everyone thought Rick Tocchet would pull Thatcher Demko for the extra attacker, he didn't, sealing the Jets win and crushing the Canucks playoff chances. A goal in the third period by Cole Perfetti helped seal <a href='https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/connor-hellebuyck-kyle-connor-lead-jets-past-canucks/' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>a 3-1 win for the Winnipeg Jets against the Vancouver Canucks</a> on Sunday, sending thrills through the sold-out crowd and the Jets players alike. Using defenceman Derek Forbort's legs, the 23-year-old forward slyly manoeuvred the puck before firing a wrist shot through Vancouver netminder Thatcher Demko. Perfetti helped complete a solid Winnipeg effort. Kyle Connor scored a goal and added an assist, and Mason Appleton scored. This win leaves Winnipeg first in the Central Division by six points after three consecutive victories, to improve to 51-19-4 for 106 points. <h3>This was probably the worst loss of the season for the Canucks in terms of playoff hopes</h3> For the Canucks (34-27-13), this was another disappointing loss in a quest for a wild-card playoff spot. Thatcher Demko, with 24 saves, and a goal from Pius Suter were not enough in a battle to improve in the playoff hunt. <div align='center' class='pl20 pr20'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/TSNHockey/status/1906702646976643544'> </a></blockquote></div> I thought they played hard, he said. Came down to kind of a goalmouth scramble. But I thought for the most part, that's a good hockey team that has a chance to win a (Stanley) Cup, and I thought we went head-to-head with them really well. - Rick Tocchet Vancouver's playoff aspirations were dealt a serious blow. The Canucks trail the Minnesota Wild and the scorching hot St. Louis Blues by six points, with each holding a game in hand. What hurt Vancouver the most, however, was head coach Rick Tocchet's failure to pull Demko when the Canucks were down two goals heading into the later part of the game. The failure to act gave way to complacency and essentially sealed the fate of the team, crushing their hopes of advancing into the playoffs, and possibly even <a href='https://www.hockeylatest.com/nhl-team/vancouver-canucks/vancouver-canucks-linked-to-several-head-coaching-candidates-amidst-rick-tocchet-uncertainty' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>foreshadowing Tocchet's end as head coach of the team.</a> <div align='center' class='pl20 pr20'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/taj1944/status/1906518736791834804'> </a></blockquote></div> Winnipeg's victory completed a successful homestand for the team, while the Canucks host the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday and require a solid finish to stay in the playoff chase.