Winnipeg Jets' Nino Niederreiter (62) and Mark Scheifele (55) celebrate Scheifele’s goal on Arizona Coyotes goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) during first period NHL action in Winnipeg, Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods
WINNIPEG – Mark Scheifele had a goal and two assists in leading the Winnipeg Jets to a 5-2 victory over the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday night.
Kyle Connor, with his league-leading 14th goal, Josh Morrissey, Vladislav Namestnikov and Mason Appleton, an empty-net goal, also scored for Winnipeg (10-5-2).
Laurent Brossoit made 16 saves.
The victory allowed the Jets to conclude their five-game homestand with a 4-1-0 record.
Matt Dumba and Matias Maccelli replied for Arizona (8-7-2).
Karel Vejmelka stopped 21-of-25 shots.
Morrissey gave Winnipeg a 4-2 edge 4:15 into the third period, converting a pass from Scheifele on a 2-on-1 to beat Vejmelka.
Appleton sealed it with an empty-netter with 2:30 remaining.
Connor scored 11:26 into the middle frame, taking a quick pass from Scheifele and sniping a shot over Vejmelka’s right shoulder to put the Jets ahead 3-2.
Dumba knotted the score at 2-2 after deflecting a perfect pass from Travis Boyd past Brossoit at 6:08 of the second period.
The Jets rebounded from a 1-0 deficit with a pair of goals just 58 seconds apart in the opening frame.
Scheifele scored on a backhanded shot at the 17:04 mark to tie things up.
Namestnikov followed by beating Vejmelka to the puck behind the goal, then banking a shot into the vacated net off Arizona’s Lawson Crouse, who was in front.
Maccelli opened the scoring, capping off a nifty passing play 14:53 into the first period. He converted on a pass from J.J. Moser, who found Maccelli alone at the side of an empty net.
NOTES
Morrissey’s first-period assist was the 200th of his NHL career, which makes him the third defenceman in franchise history to reach that milestone behind Dustin Byfuglien (294) and Toby Enstrom (254). “¦ Brossoit made the 100th start of his NHL career Saturday.
UP NEXT
The Jets will head to Tampa Bay to face the Lightning in the first of a three-game road trip on Wednesday.
The Coyotes return home to play the Los Angeles Kings on Monday in the first of a seven-game homestand.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 18, 2023.
