Nikolaj Ehlers racked up a hat trick and an assist to help the visiting Winnipeg Jets to a 6-2 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday night.
Josh Morrissey added a goal and an assist in the third period for the Jets, who have won two straight and 10 of 11 to start the season. Eric Comrie made 20 saves for his third consecutive victory to start the season.
Sean Kuraly and Sean Monahan scored for the Blue Jackets, who had won three of four and have a quick turnaround as they visit the Washington Capitals on Saturday afternoon. Elvis Merzlikins made 38 saves.
The Jets and Blue Jackets each were 1-for-2 on the power play.
Ehlers made it 1-0 at 5:13 of the first period when he took a pass in his own end, skated down into the Blue Jackets’ zone and beat Merzlikins with a slap shot from above the left circle.
Kuraly tied it 1-1 at 11:02 when James van Riemsdyk won a puck battle behind the net and passed in front to Kuraly, who knocked it home.
The Jets regained the lead when Ehlers controlled a loose puck in the offensive zone, skated into the right circle and scored on a wrist shot at 15:14.
Mason Appleton increased the lead to 3-1 at 2:20 of the second period, scoring on a one-timer through a screen from the slot off a pass from Neal Pionk.
Monahan pulled Columbus within 3-2 with a power-play goal at 16:30. Shortly after the Blue Jackets won a face-off, Monahan took a return pass from Zach Werenski and beat Comrie with a wrist shot from the point.
Ehlers scored his seventh goal of the season and completed his fifth career hat trick at 18:51 of the second period when he backhanded a loose puck home from in front of the crease to put Winnipeg ahead 4-2.
Morrissey made it 5-2 with a power-play goal at 11:39 of the third and picked up an assist when Gabriel Vilardi scored at 14:54.
–Field Level Media
