Jets 4, Rangers 1
NEW YORK -- Goaltender Michael Hutchinson made 40 saves -- including 20 in the second period -- as the Winnipeg Jets defeated the New York Rangers 4-1 at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night.
Center Bryan Little scored twice as Winnipeg handed the Rangers (3-1-0) their first loss of the season. Right winger Nikolaj Ehlers and defenseman Mark Stuart also scored for the Jets (3-1-0).
Right winger Mats Zuccarello scored his third goal of the season for the Rangers.
Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist stopped 25 shots as he was handed his first loss of the season.
Zuccarello gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead at 6:45 of the first period. Derick Brassard led a 3-on-1 rush that ended with the center feeding Zuccarello for a one-timer that left Hutchinson with little chance to make a save.
Less than a minute later, Ehlers scored his first NHL goal on a power play to bring the Jets into a 1-1 tie. The 19-year-old ripped a slap shot just under the crossbar and inside the post eight seconds after Rangers right winger Kevin Hayes was whistled for hooking.
The Rangers dominated possession throughout the second period, outshooting the Jets 20-8. But a series of lapses late in the period allowed the Jets to take a 2-1 lead to the intermission.
After left winger J.T. Miller iced the puck with the Rangers on their fifth power play of the period, the Jets controlled the ensuing faceoff. Defenseman Jacob Trouba's shot was blocked and an unchecked Little had all the time in the world to collect the rebound and beat Lundqvist with a wrist shot from the slot with 1:11 remaining.
The Rangers went 0-for-5 on the power play with eight shots in the second period.
The Jets gave themselves some breathing room in the third period with their third special-teams goal of the game. Little wired a shot from the left face-off circle that put the Jets ahead 3-1 with 9:25 remaining.
The Rangers pulled Lundqvist for an extra attacker with a little more than two minutes remaining, but Stuart slapped a loose puck into the empty net to seal the victory.
NOTES: Jets D Adam Pardy played in his first game of the season, taking the place of D Ben Chiarot, who took two minor penalties in the Jets' 4-2 loss to the Islanders on Monday. ... Jets D Paul Postma and RW Anthony Peluso were scratched. ... Rangers D Dylan McIlrath made his season debut, assuming the spot of D Dan Boyle. Signed to a two-year, $9 million contract last summer, the 39-year-old Boyle has one assist in three games this season. ... The Rangers also scratched RW Emerson Etem and RW Jesper Fast.