WINNIPEG – After days of tinkering with his forward lines Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice finally found a winning combination with Drew Stafford, Mark Scheifele and Mathieu Perreault. The trio accounted for all four Jets goals in a 4-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks to end a six game losing streak on Wednesday at MTS Centre.
Both Scheifele and Stafford had three point nights with two goals and one assist each while Perreault had three helpers to pace the Jets.
“It’s a relief to win.” Stafford said. “I mean I’ve been through enough the last few years unfortunately the way things have been going. In Buffalo before I came here, you know we were losing a lot and getting that losing taste it’s not fun. So for us to break out of it at home, especially after being on the road for so long, to be able to contribute as a line, that’s huge.”
“Obviously we played the right way for most of the game.” Scheifele said. “Getting pucks behind their D (defense). We were physical right from the start and I think a big thing was we had a good start. We want to carry this on. You know it’s just one game. We want to continue that.”
Ondrej Pavelec made a few key saves when it was a one goal game and he finished the night by stopping 29 of 30 shots. Other than a few hiccups in the middle period the Jets were looking a lot like their old selves again.
“We were good enough to win the game 4-1.” Maurice said. “We made mistakes, they had some chances in the second period, we had a great number of chances, high end in the third. We haven’t seen that in a long time.”
The Jets went on an early powerplay after Lucas Sbisa was sent off for an illegal check to the head on Nikolaj Ehlers. The Canucks had the best chance early as Pavelec denied Jannik Hansen on a breakaway. But only moments later, Scheifele at the faceoff dot ripped a loose puck low glove side on Ryan Miller. It was Scheifele’s sixth goal of the season and the Jets scored the games first goal after allowing their opponent to score first in all of the last six games. Perreault and Blake Wheeler drew the assists. For Wheeler it was his team leading 13th assist of the season.
The Jets led by one after the first period but they were outshot by the Canucks 13-11.
The Jets held onto their lead until the 6:44 mark of the second period. A loose puck in front of Pavelec was shovelled in by Daniel Sedin. Former Manitoba Moose forward Alex Burrows and Henrik Sedin had the helpers to tie the game 1-1.
The Canucks carried the play for much of the second period, but with 2:31 remaining in the frame Stafford sent a backhand to the back of the net to end an 11 game goalless drought and give the Jets a 2-1 lead. Tobias Enstrom and Tyler Myers figured in on the goal for the Jets. Winnipeg was outshot 10-6 in the period.
The Jets came close to taking a two goal lead several times in the third but they didn’t have any breathing room until Scheifele deposited a rebound with 2:45 to go. Stafford scored into the empty net to make it a 4-1 final.
Paul Postma, Ben Chiarot and Nic Petan were all scratched. Adam Lowry played in his 100th career game. Dustin Byfuglien led the Jets with 23:28 of icetime.
The Jets homestand continues on Saturday against the Arizona Coyotes.
WATCH: The Winnipeg Jets react following a 4-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks.
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