For a second straight game, the @Winnipeg Jets made the final a little closer than it really needed to be with some questionable defending in their own end, but did just enough on offense to pull out a big 3-2 win over the Minnesota Wild. The Jets not only gain ground not only in the Western conference Wild Card race, but also in the Central division race where they suddenly find themselves tied with the Dallas Stars for third place after the Stars still struggled to score against the @Philadelphia Flyers.

The Jets and Wild started off a bit tentative as both teams appeared to not want to make the first big mistake and fall behind early. It also didn’t hurt that both @Connor Hellebuyck and @Devan Dubnyk were both strong in goal.

After a scoreless first, it took the Wild opening up the scoring in the second to get the Jets playing a more aggressive game. The line of @Andrew Copp, @Patrik Laine and @Nikolaj Ehlers continues to pay dividends for head coach Paul Maurice as Laine finished off a beautiful give-and-go play to get the game square at one after forty minutes of play. As key as Hellebuyck’s play in the first period was for the Jets, the Wild could have been much worse off if not for Dubnyk.

In the third the Jets continued to pour it on with a series of great scoring chances and a pair of goals to go up 3-1 a little over halfway through the final frame, but again it felt like the home side took their foot off the pedal and went back into a defensive shell that allowed the Wild to get back into the game and press for a tying goal late. Thankfully that third Wild goal never came and the Jets hang on for their second win in as many games.

 

Scoring
None

Penalties
WPG – 5:25 – Adam Lowry (Slashing)

Shots
MIN: 11 – WPG: 9

Scoring
MIN – 7:19 – Matt Zuccarello – Assists: Joel Eriksson Ek, Marcus Foligno
WPG – 12:55 – Patrik Laine (29) – Assists: Nikolaj Ehlers (36)

Penalties
WPG – 2:46 – Nikolaj Ehlers (Tripping)

Shots
MIN: 12 (23) – WPG: 18 (27)

Scoring
WPG – 1:47 – Andrew Copp (12) – Assists: Nikolaj Ehlers (37), Patrik Laine (39)
WPG – 10:11 – Jack Roslovic (14) – Assists: Mason Appleton (5) , Nathan Beaulieu (8)
MIN – 17:09 – Kevin Fiala – Assist: Alexander Galchenyuk

Penalties
MIN – 2:49 – Matt Zuccarello (Hooking)
MIN – 11:15 – Zach Parise (Hooking)
MIN – 12:33 – Jordan Greenway (Charging)

Shots
MIN: 9 (32) – WPG: 16 (43)

W – Connor Hellebuyck (30 of 32)
L – Devon Dubnyk (40 of 43)

1st – Connor Hellebuyck
2nd – Patrik Laine
3rd – Jack Roslovic

Hits
MIN: 10 – WPG: 14

Time on attack
MIN: 6:43 – WPG: 8:12

Faceoffs
FLA: 18 – WPG: 23

Powerplay
FLA: 0/2 – WPG: 0/3

Here are the rest of the scores and standings after Friday and Saturday’s games…