Dallas Stars' goaltender Scott Wedgewood (41) makes a save on Winnipeg Jets' Blake Wheeler (26) during first period NHL action in Winnipeg on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Greenslade
WINNIPEG – Mark Scheifele scored two of the Winnipeg Jets’ four unanswered second-period goals in a 5-1 victory over the Dallas Stars on Tuesday.
Three Winnipeg goals were scored in a span of 2:45 in the middle period, leading to the 13,847 fans at Canada Life Centre giving the players rousing cheers as the period ended.
Pierre-Luc Dubois, Saku Maenalanen and Mason Appleton, with an empty-netter, also had goals for the Jets. Appleton added a pair of assists and Kyle Connor collected three helpers.
Connor Hellebuyck made 22 saves for Winnipeg (8-3-1), which is on a seven-game point streak (6-0-1) and tops the NHL Central Division.
Jason Robertson scored for Dallas (8-4-1), extending his goal-scoring streak to six games. He has seven goals and five assists during that span.
Scott Wedgewood stopped 28 of the 32 shots he faced for the Stars, who ended a three-game win streak.
Robertson opened the game’s scoring with his ninth goal of the season at 3:06 of the second off a Roope Hintz pass. Hintz is on a six-game point run with three goals and seven assists.
The Jets responded with their three quick goals.
Scheifele’s first one came at 3:27 when he put the puck into an open side of the net after a quick pass from Appleton.
Dubois made it 2-1 just 70 seconds later on a mistake by Wedgewood.
The goalie went behind the net to retrieve the puck, but couldn’t handle it. A Stars defender got a stick on it, but the puck went to the front of the net and Dubois flipped it in at 4:37.
Scheifele notched his eighth goal of the season at 6:12 to end the quick barrage.
Maenalanen finished the period’s scoring with his first goal of the season at 18:14 when he tipped in a Neal Pionk point shot.
Dallas had the game’s first power play with 7:51 left in the third period, but couldn’t capitalize and took a penalty with five seconds remaining in the man advantage.
Appleton scored his first goal of the season into the empty net with 2:58 left.
COMMISSIONER DROPS IN
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly met with Winnipeg media before the game and fielded questions on a wide range of topics, including the Jets’ attendance.
The Jets have only sold out one game this season, an Oct. 22 contest against the Toronto Maple Leafs with 15,325 fans. Winnipeg’s average through five games before the Dallas match was 14,151.
Bettman was reminded of a comment he made back in 2011 when the Atlanta Thrashers were bought and relocated to Winnipeg. At the time, he said “it isn’t going to work very well unless this building is sold out every night.”
“I don’t think there’s an attendance issue,” Bettman said. “We’re coming out of COVID. Around the edges.
“Some teams are seeing a little bit of softness. Maybe it’s people’s reluctance to still go to crowds. Maybe it’s the economy. “¦ I believe this building can be and will be full again.”
UP NEXT
Jets: Travel to Calgary to play the Flames on Saturday.
Stars: Host the San Jose Sharks on Friday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2022.
