Jets 5, Avalanche 3
Dustin Byfuglien scored on the power play and set up two other tallies during a four-goal second-period blitz as host Winnipeg ended a six-game losing streak (0-4-2).
Mathieu Perreault matched Byfuglien with a goal and two assists, Bryan Little scored on the power play and defensemen Ben Chiarot and Jacob Trouba also tallied as the Jets posted their first victory since the All-Star break. Mark Scheifele collected a pair of assists and Ondrej Pavelec turned aside 25 shots to earn his first win since Jan. 18.
Matt Duchene and Alex Tanguay each scored and set up a goal and defenseman Tyson Barrie also tallied for Colorado, which absorbed its third straight defeat to drop into last place in the Central Division and remain six points out of the final playoff slot. Jarome Iginla picked up a pair of assists while Semyon Varlamov (24 saves), making his 10th straight start, surrendered more than three goals in regulation for the first time since Jan. 4.
After missing the past two games with a hip injury, Barrie whistled a wrister from the high slot midway through the first period to open the scoring, but Perreault ignited Winnipeg's spree by burying a rebound two minutes into the middle session. The Jets went ahead to stay 3 1/2 minutes later when Little ripped a one-timer from the inner edge of the left circle that Byfuglien tipped past Varlamov.
Chiarot banged in a rebound at 13:24 and Little converted on a 5-on-3 with 4:12 left in the period to push the lead to 4-1. Duchene scored on a redirection seven minutes into the third but Trouba answered four minutes later to restore the three-goal edge with 8:57 to play and provide a cushion to withstand Tanguay's late tally.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Perreault's 18th goal tied his career high set with Anaheim last season. ... Iginla (1,202 points) moved past Dino Ciccarelli for sole possession of 46th place on the all-time list. ... Jets RW Chris Thorburn tangled with Colorado LW Cody McLeod early in the first period to surpass Eric Boulton (639) as the franchise's career leader in penalty minutes. ... Avalanche D Jan Hejda appeared in his 600th game.