Jets 6, Coyotes 2
Blake Wheeler scored two goals and set up another as visiting Winnipeg cruised to victory in the season opener for both teams.
Bryan Little also tallied twice while defenseman Mark Stuart and Dustin Byfuglien each added a goal for the Jets, who have won five straight meetings with the Coyotes. Blue-liners Toby Enstrom and Zach Bogosian recorded two assists apiece while Ondrej Pavelec turned aside 26 shots.
Mikkel Boedker and Martin Hanzal scored for Arizona, which was outshot 16-8 during the decisive first period. Martin Erat notched an assist while posting a minus-4 rating and Mike Smith finished with 21 saves.
Little opened the scoring with a wrist shot seven minutes into the game, but Winnipeg's lead was short-lived as Boedker tallied 38 seconds later. The Jets quickly took over, however, as Wheeler beat Smith twice in a span of 15 seconds for a 3-1 edge, scoring from along the right-wing boards less than a minute after Boedker's goal and tipping Bogosian's shot past the netminder moments afterward.
Stuart capped the first-period onslaught with 5:49 remaining and Byfuglien converted a feed from Wheeler while alone on the doorstep 12 1/2 minutes into the second for a 5-1 advantage. Little scored while short-handed at 5:07 of the third and Hanzal cut the Coyotes' deficit to four less than four minutes later.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Winnipeg LW Evander Kane suffered an apparent knee injury during a collision with teammate Mark Scheifele in the first period and did not return. ... The six goals by the Jets tied the franchise record for most in a season opener. ... Wheeler, who set the franchise record for the fastest two goals by one player, finished with a Gordie Howe hat trick as he engaged in a fight with Arizona captain Shane Doan late in the first period.