Winnipeg Jets centre Karson Kuhlman (20) is checked by Arizona Coyotes centre Travis Boyd (72) and Coyotes left wing Nick Ritchie (12) during first period NHL action in Winnipeg on Sunday January 15, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Greenslade
WINNIPEG – Blake Wheeler scored the game-winner late in the second period as the Winnipeg Jets handed the Arizona Coyotes their ninth straight loss with a 2-1 victory on Sunday.
Pierre-Luc Dubois had the other goal for the Jets (29-14-1), who have won their past three games and are 8-1-0 in their last nine.
Connor Hellebuyck made 20 saves for Winnipeg in front of 13,949 fans at Canada Life Centre, where the Jets have won five consecutive games.
Clayton Keller scored for the Coyotes (13-25-5), who were coming off a 2-1 loss to Minnesota on Saturday night.
Karel Vejmelka stopped 22 shots for Arizona, which last lost nine straight in regulation in October/November 2021. The Coyotes also have a 13-game winless streak on the road (0-11-2).
There was no scoring in the first period, with the Jets outshooting the visitors 12-4.
The Coyotes went on a four-minute power play at 11:16 of the opening period after Jets forward Kevin Stenlund was dinged with a high-sticking double minor against Arizona forward Keller.
Shots on goal at the start of the man advantage was 9-1 for Winnipeg and ended with the Coyotes firing three more pucks at Hellebuyck.
Winnipeg went on its first power play with 23 seconds left in the first and capitalized on it 37 seconds into the middle frame after Dubois tipped in a Josh Morrissey shot for his 20th goal of the season.
On only their fifth shot of the game, Keller tied it at 11:02 of the second with a tight-angled shot that beat Hellebuyck.
Wheeler gave his team the 2-1 lead with a shot from the circle at 16:45 after a passing sequence with Cole Perfetti and Mark Scheifele.
Arizona defenceman Josh Brown hit the post early in the third period, quickly followed by Dubois also clanging a puck off the iron during a Winnipeg power play.
Hellebuyck also stymied Nick Schmaltz on a close-in shot with two minutes remaining.
HE’S NO. 2
Scheifele’s assist on Wheeler’s goal was a notable one. Scheifele now has 616 points with the Jets, moving him past Ilya Kovalchuk for second place in Jets/Thrashers franchise history for points. Wheeler holds the record with 787 points.
HIGH-SCORING COMPANY
Winnipeg became the third NHL team with at least three 20-goal scorers, including Dubois, Kyle Connor and Scheifele. Edmonton (four players) and Toronto (three) are the other two clubs.
BACK WITH A VENGEANCE
Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers is on a tear after missing 36 games following surgery for a sports hernia.
Since returning to action on Jan. 6, the speedy Dane has nine points in six games (three goals, six assists), including extending his point streak to five games with an assist on Dubois’ goal.
UP NEXT
Jets: Begin a season-high five-game road trip in Montreal against the Canadiens on Tuesday.
Coyotes: Host the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 15, 2023.
