Flames at Jets
Three victories in four games and a high-octane offense have fueled a flying start for the Winnipeg Jets, who open the home portion of their schedule Friday against the Calgary Flames. The Jets have scored a Western Conference-leading 15 goals during a 3-1-0 East Coast swing rallying from an early deficit Tuesday to beat the New York Rangers 4-1 as rookie Nikolaj Ehlers scored his first career goal.
It is hard to imagine a better beginning for Winnipeg’s offense as eight Jets recorded multiple assists and 11 players scored through four games. It has been a much slower start for the Flames, who squandered a lead in Tuesday’s 4-3 loss to St. Louis. Rookie forward Sam Bennett, the fourth overall pick of last year’s draft, is pointless in his first three games. Left winger Johnny Gaudreau leads the Flames in points (five) and is among the league leaders with Winnipeg’s Mathieu Perreault in assists with four.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, SportsNet Flames (Calgary), TSN3 (Winnipeg)
ABOUT THE FLAMES (1-2-0): The Flames have been outscored 6-1 in the second period this season, giving up three goals to the Blues in the middle stanza Tuesday. “We can’t be playing 40-minute games,” left winger Mason Raymond told reporters after Calgary allowed four or more goals for the second time in three contests. The goaltending duo of Jonas Hiller (.897 save percentage) and Karri Ramo (.886) has struggled, with Hiller making 24 saves against St. Louis.
ABOUT THE JETS (3-1-0): Michael Hutchinson made 40 saves against the Rangers and has turned aside 60-of-62 shots faced in two games, settling down the Winnipeg defense after allowing a goal on a three-on-one rush in the first period. “The feeling going back home is we can still get a lot better,” center Bryan Little, who helped turn around Tuesday’s game with a shorthanded tally, told reporters. Little is one of three Jets (Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler) to score multiple goals.
OVERTIME
1. Calgary C Lance Bouma will miss three months after breaking his left fibula Tuesday. Bouma set career highs with 16 goals and 34 points last season.
2. Winnipeg D Ben Chiarot was a late scratch with an undisclosed injury Tuesday and is listed as day-to-day.
3. The Flames won two of the three matchups with Winnipeg last season.