The Winnipeg Jets had goals from six different players as they opened a five-game homestand with a 6-2 romp past the Detroit Red Wings on Friday night.
Kyle Connor, Blake Wheeler, Mark Scheifele, Dylan DeMelo and Nikolaj Ehlers each had a goal and an assist. Nino Niederreiter also scored for Winnipeg.
Connor Hellebuyck stopped 23 shots for the Jets (42-31-3, 87 points), who are trying to fight off Calgary and Nashville for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.
David Perron and Joe Veleno scored for Detroit (33-33-9, 75 points), which had won two straight. Magnus Hellberg made 23 saves.
Winnipeg’s offense had lacked punch over the previous nine games, producing three or fewer goals each time. The Jets notched three goals in the first 14 minutes on Friday.
Connor’s 29th goal was achieved when he redirected a shot from the point by Brenden Dillon. Scheifele picked up the second assist.
Wheeler’s 16th goal came off a perfect feed from Ehlers, who shoveled the puck from the left side to Wheeler in front. Vladislav Namestnikov was credited with the second assist on Wheeler’s first goal in 22 games.
Scheifele scored when a shot from the point by Neil Pionk deflected to him. Connor collected the other assist on Scheifele’s 39th goal.
DeMelo made it 4-0 at 1:20 of the second period with a blast from the point. Mason Appleton and Adam Lowry had the assists.
Niederreiter scored off his own rebound for a 5-0 lead at 13:42 of the period. Appleton and DeMelo had the assists.
Ehlers’ 10th goal five minutes into the third period gave the Jets a six-goal advantage. Wheeler and Namestnikov supplied the assists.
Perron and Veleno scored 21 seconds apart to break up the shutout. Perron, who had a hat trick earlier in the week against Pittsburgh, scored on a power play. Moritz Seider and Dylan Larkin contributed assists on Perron’s 20th goal.
Veleno’s goal was his first since Feb. 7.
–Field Level Media
