Ehlers, Perfetti each score twice as Winnipeg Jets beat Sharks 8-3 – Winnipeg
After three straight days of practice, the Winnipeg Jets were raring to go.
The Jets scored four goals in the first period as they manhandled the winless San Jose Sharks 8-3 Friday night at the Canada Life Center.
After two close overtime victories, the Jets scored early and often to start the season with four straight victories for the first time in Jets history. The Jets are one of three undefeated teams in the NHL.
“We obviously only scored one goal the last two days and we had a lot of chances,” head coach Scott Arniel said. “Every unit and every line seemed to have had their fair share of opportunities that weren’t taken and tonight it’s nice to see everyone kind of get rewarded for that.”
Cole Perfetti and Nikolaj Ehlers each scored twice. And Perfetti and Vladislav Namestnikov both had career-best four-point nights.
“We all use our speed and skills,” Namestnikov said. “And just put those pucks on net and it worked today.”
The Jets’ second line has struggled to produce offensively in the first three games. But Ehlers, Perfetti and Namestnikov had a blast combining for 11 points in the victory.
“We believe in each other and we know what we can do,” Perfetti said. “I don’t think anything magically changed. I think we just had a mindset of confidence and belief in what we can do as a line.
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“We knew this was going to happen. It only took a few games and hopefully now the floodgates will open and I think it was a really good confidence game for our trio.
The Jets, who have the best power play in the NHL, have scored four goals on the power play in seven opportunities. This is only the second time in Jets 2.0 history that they have scored four power play goals in a game. They have now made 50 percent of their power play opportunities through the first four games.
The Jets wasted no time getting into the picture. After Ehlers skated the puck into the Sharks’ end, he took it to the corner before returning it to Colin Miller, who then sent a cross-ice pass to Josh Morrissey. Her wrist shot slipped past Mackenzie Blackwood to make it 1-0 just 1:59 into the game.
Winnipeg continued to pile on the pressure in the first 10 minutes, with San Jose barely sniffing the puck, leading to two Sharks penalties that put the Jets on a long 5-on-3.
The Jets’ red-hot power play took full advantage. After racing the puck around San Jose, Gabriel Vilardi found Ehlers for a one-timer that he buried to make it 2-0 at 9:25.
Winnipeg took a penalty shortly after Ehlers scored, putting the Sharks on a power play where they cut into the Jets’ lead. Former Jet Tyler Toffoli deflected a Jake Walman point shot past Connor Hellebuyck to make it 2-1.
But less than two minutes later, Winnipeg regained the two-goal lead. Perfetti made a great play, stealing the puck on a solid backcheck before firing the puck towards Ehlers in stride. He slotted a wrist shot past Blackwood to make it 3-1 at 13:31.
The Jets found themselves on another power play late in the first and their second unit cashed in. An innocent-looking wrist shot from Neal Pionk beat Blackwood in traffic to make it 4-1 after 20 minutes.
The Sharks opted to leave Blackwood for the second, but he only lasted 1:46 before Kyle Connor topped his third of the season, ending his night in favor of Vitek Vanecek who had played the day before in Chicago.
Winnipeg continued to dominate possession for much of the second half, but the only other goal of the period came from San Jose. Luke Kunin broke away in the slot and beat Hellebuyck over five holes from close range near the middle of the period.
The Jets made it 6-2 at 9:50 of the third period when Perfetti took a pass from Alex Iafallo in the slot and tipped it past Vanecek.
Just 19 seconds later, San Jose made it 6-3 when Fabian Zetterlund beat Hellebuyck 2-on-1.
Winnipeg quickly found themselves on another power play and once again they took advantage when Perfetti scored his second of the period on a slap shot that should have been stopped by Vanecek but beat him five holes.
Not wanting to be left out of the barrage of goals, Namestnikov buried one in transition with just over 30 seconds left to make it 8-3.
Making his 500th career start, Hellebuyck had to stop just 19 shots to earn the victory on Hellebuyck Night as the club celebrated its Vezina and Jennings trophies from last season.
The Jets return to action Sunday afternoon against Pittsburgh when they honor Bryan Little. The pre-game show is at 12 p.m. on 680 CJOB, with puck drop just after 2 p.m.
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