Penguins 4, Jets 2
Penguins 4, Jets 2: Defenseman Paul Martin scored for the first time since Nov. 20 in his return to the lineup as visiting Pittsburgh clinched the Metropolitan Division.
Beau Bennett, Craig Adams and Brian Gibbons also scored for the Penguins, who clinched the division after Philadelphia dropped a 2-0 decision to Columbus earlier on Thursday. Captain Sidney Crosby added two assists and Marc-Andre Fleury needed to make only 13 saves for the victory.
Olli Jokinen and defenseman Zach Redmond tallied and Ondrej Pavelec stopped 17 shots for Winnipeg, which fell to 3-5-2 at home since January. The Jets remained seven points behind Dallas for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference with only four games remaining.
Bennett opened the scoring 12:44 into the first period, when he deposited Crosby’s cross-ice feed into an open net just as a Winnipeg penalty expired. Jokinen tied the game at 2:52 of the second by banging home a rebound on a rush and Redmond put Winnipeg ahead less than seven minutes later with his first goal of the season.
Adams forged a tie with 1:13 remaining in the second with a one-timer from the top of the right faceoff circle. Martin’s one-timer from the high slot during a power play at 7:42 of the third put the Penguins ahead for good, and Gibbons added insurance with 3:36 remaining.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Jets coach Paul Maurice was hit in the forehead by a puck but was stitched up on the bench and remained in the game. … Crosby leads the NHL with 102 points. … Pittsburgh is 7-2-0 against the Jets since the franchise moved from Atlanta to Winnipeg.