For the first time all season, the Winnipeg Jets won both games in a back-to-back situation, defeating the New Jersey Devils 6-1 Friday night.
The Jets improved to 44-16-4 on the season which keeps them in first place in the NHL as they outshot the Devils 35-23, with six different players scoring a goal.
Nikolaj Ehlers led the charge with a goal and two assists, while Josh Morrissey and Kyle Connor each had multi-point efforts.
“We played really close to our game,” said Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey. “Obviously, there was little stretches there, start of the third period where they got a little momentum, but that’s what our team has done all year is just be calm, rely on our structure and system in that situation and we played really well.”
The Jets had a three-goal lead after two periods. Dawson Mercer scored for the Devils just 31 seconds into the final frame, but the Jets scored three more times in the final eight minutes to secure another win.
After being acquired earlier in the day just ahead of the trade deadline, forward Brandon Tanev was in the lineup for the Jets already. He was a plus-one, with two hits in 11:28 of ice time.
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“It’s an easy team to come to when there’s so many good players and they make things easier for you,” Tanev said. “Obviously it’s a tough day in terms of getting here, getting acclimated, but I mean, when you go out there, you put a familiar jersey on that you’re so used to – you’re excited to play.
“I’ve had a big smile on my face all day.”
The Jets have scored at least six goals in a game 12 times this season, which is the most in the NHL.
It’s just the second time in seven tries this season the Jets have won the second half of a back-to-back.
“We wanted to make sure that we were simple being a back-to-back,” said Jets head coach Scott Arniel. “That first period was real good, a real solid group.”
Both teams looked fast and aggressive to start the game, and the Jets got an early key save but not from a likely source as a puck slipped by Connor Hellebuyck but not the goal line as forward Morgan Barron made the save.
The Jets headed back up the ice and Alex Iafallo potted his ninth of the year, pocketing a backhand with assists from Logan Stanley and Colin Miller.
Winnipeg then got their first powerplay of the game and just couldn’t get things set up at first but when they did, it was Morrissey putting home his tenth of the season.
Late in the second period, Dylan DeMelo swung the puck down low to Nikolaj Ehlers and he came up the side wall to the middle and pocketed his 21st of the season with 31 seconds left in the middle frame.
The Devils responded early in the third period when Mercer got one past Hellebuyck on a one-timer in the first minute of the period.
And then the Jets put the game away with 8:04 remaining in the third period as Adam Lowry capitalized on a turnover and tucked in his 13th of the season.
Only two and a half minutes later, Connor made sure he wasn’t forgotten as he buried a Mark Scheifele feed for his 33rd goal of the year.
Next up for the Jets is a game against the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday in Raleigh, North Carolina. Puck drop is just after 4 p.m.
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