WINNIPEG – It took a coaching change to bring out the best effort of the season from the Winnipeg Jets (20-23-5) as they snapped a season-high five-game losing streak with a 5-1 win over the Phoenix Coyotes (21-15-9) in Paul Maurice’s debut as the team’s head coach.
Maurice took over from Claude Noel, who was fired on Sunday, but only arrived in Winnipeg Monday night and had just a few hours to get personally acquainted with his new team.
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The struggling Coyotes opened the scoring in the first period as Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored on the power play. But 36 seconds later, Dustin Byfuglien took the puck away from goalie Mike Smith behind the net, a turnover that would lead to the tying goal by Olli Jokinen.
Before the first period ended, the Jets took the lead as rookie Eric O’Dell scored his second goal of the season and second in as many games. Another giveaway by Mike Smith in the second period led to another goal as Blake Wheeler netted his team-leading 17th.
The Jets added two more goals in the third from Michael Frolik and Devin Setoguchi on the power play and the game ended with a standing ovation from the fans – many of whom had booed the same Jets off the ice Saturday night in their loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The next game for the Jets will be against the Flames (16-24-6) in Calgary on Thursday night.
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