Connor, Hellebuyck lead streaking Jets past Wild
SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- Kyle Connor scored an early goal, and Connor Hellebuyck made 28 saves as the Winnipeg Jets beat the Minnesota Wild 2-1 on Tuesday night.
Nikolaj Ehlers also scored late as the Jets (6-3-2) beat Minnesota for the second time in October. Winnipeg has gone five consecutive games without a regulation loss (3-0-2).
The Wild (4-4-2) got 17 saves from goalie Alex Stalock and a second career goal from Luke Kunin but saw their two-game winning streak snapped.
The Jets got a power play in the opening minute of the game and appeared to score a power-play goal with just 47 seconds elapsed when Joel Armia tapped in a loose puck with traffic in front of Stalock. However, the on-ice officials immediate ruled no goal, calling a hand pass on the play. Winnipeg protested, but hand-pass calls are not reviewable.
Winnipeg got on the board for real with 7:10 elapsed in the first when a long-range shot by Tyler Myers was redirected by Mark Scheifele at the top of the crease, then popped in by Connor for his second goal of the season.
The Jets killed a pair of Minnesota power plays in the first and emerged up 1-0 with an 11-7 advantage in shots. Minnesota had a trio of power plays in the second and out-shot Winnipeg 10-6 but still emerged trailing by a goal.
Winnipeg made it 2-0 in the opening minute of the third after an ugly turnover by Wild defenseman Matt Dumba. His no-look pass was picked up by Ehlers, who scored his team-leading seventh goal of the season, slipping a low shot past Stalock with the goalie prone.
Minnesota finally solved Hellebuyck with 14:24 to play in the third. Nino Niederreiter zipped a no-look pass from the corner to Kunin, who was at the top of the crease. The rookie's quick wrist shot beat the Winnipeg goalie on the stick side.
NOTES: Tuesday's game was the first time the Wild have played at home on Halloween since 2002, when they beat the San Jose Sharks in overtime on a goal by Sergei Zholtok, who died two years later. ... Jets G Connor Hellebuyck made his NHL debut at Xcel Energy Center on Nov. 26, 2015, earning his first win with 14 saves to beat the Wild 3-1. ... Minnesota LW Nino Niederreiter returned to the lineup and the team's top line after being activated off injured reserve on Tuesday. He had missed six games with a high ankle sprain. ... Both teams will be at home for their next two games. The Jets host Dallas on Thursday and Montreal on Saturday. Minnesota hosts Montreal on Thursday and Chicago on Saturday.