Jets 3, Flames 1
WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- Winnipeg defenseman Dustin Byfuglien scored a highlight-reel goal with just 1:28 left in the third period to spark the Jets to a 3-1 triumph over the Calgary Flames in NHL action Friday night.
Byfuglien stole the puck on his own side of center, streaked down the left side, deftly slipped the puck through his own legs and bounced it off the boards, picked it up again on the other side of Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman and then snapped it high past goalie Karri Ramo from a bad angle for his second goal of the year.
After a short review, the play was not deemed off side and the goal counted.
Right winger Blake Wheeler scored into an empty net at 19:07 to seal the win for Winnipeg (4-1-0).
The Flames (1-3-0) got their only goal from center Markus Backlund, who notched his first of the season early in the opening period.
Center Bryan Little popped in his third goal of the year midway through the second period for the Jets.
Ramo was the best player on the ice for the visitors, stopping 27 shots. Jets goalie Ondrej Pavelec made 19 saves for his second win of the young season.
The game was the first of six straight at home for the Jets, their longest home stand of the 2015-16 season.
Some solid forechecking by the Flames led to the game's first goal as Backlund barged into the low slot, picked up a loose puck and flipped it high over a sprawling Pavelec at 3:38. Ex-Jet right winger Michael Frolik picked up an assist on the play.
Winnipeg did little to generate much offense and went into the dressing room down 1-0 after 20 minutes. But at 8:12 of the second period, Wheeler's pass bounced off Little's leg and past a startled Ramo to knot the game at 1.
Calgary killed off the first chunk of defenseman Josh Jooris's double-minor penalty for a high stick that clipped right winger Chris Thorburn's face at 18:05, and the clubs stayed tied through 40 minutes.
Winnipeg began the third period with the man advantage. Jets center Mark Scheifele had the best chance to get the go-ahead goal when his shot fell in behind Ramo, but the Calgary netminder smartly swept the puck to the corner.
Ramo also made a huge kick save on defenseman Jacob Trouba's cannon from the point and then stopped Byfuglien as he cut in from the left side.
Pavelec wasn't as busy but had to be sharp. He kicked aside a shot from speedy left winger Johnny Gaudreau with 5:50 left in the third period and then snared a point shot from defenseman Kris Russell with heavy traffic in front less than 10 seconds later.
With under two minutes left, Byfuglien dashed in again down the left side, but this time he lit the lamp.
NOTES: Calgary C Lance Bouma broke his fibula in a 4-3 home defeat to the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday and is out indefinitely. The Flames recalled C Markus Granlund from Stockton of the American Hockey League, although he didn't dress Friday while C Josh Jooris was in the lineup against Winnipeg. ... Jets D Paul Postma, D Ben Chiarot and RW Anthony Peluso were scratched. ... Winnipeg was the last team in the NHL to have its home opener, after beginning the season with four road contests against Eastern Conference teams followed by a couple of days off. ... Jets C Mark Scheifele fired a goal in each of the first three games of the season, and none was a fluke. He used a quick release to beat Boston G Tuukka Rask, New Jersey G Cory Schneider and New York Islanders G Thomas Greiss. ... The Flames begin a three-game home stand Saturday against the Edmonton Oilers.