Winnipeg Jets continue record-breaking start to season with 6-3 win in the Big Apple

It’s almost like the Winnipeg Jets don’t know how to lose anymore.

The Jets went into Madison Square Garden and took down one of the NHL’s best in the the New York Rangers 6-3 Tuesday night for their seventh win in a row and 15th in 16 games to start the season.

The Jets were once again led by their top line as they combined for six points. Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor each scored twice, while their other linemate Gabriel Vilardi also found the net. Vladislav Namestnikov notched their other marker as the team continued their record-breaking start.

“We know what we’re doing, but we don’t take too much stock in it,” Connor said. “It’s move onto the next one. It’s how can we improve? How can we be better? I think that’s what’s made us successful to this point. Nobody is satisfied.”

Scheifele and Vilardi are both now riding eight-game point streaks which is a career-best for Vilardi.

With the victory, the Jets became the fastest team in NHL history to reach the 15-win mark.

“Obviously it’s been a great start for us,” said Scheifele. “Tonight’s over, day off tomorrow, and we’ll get ready for the Lightning, so, enjoy the win tonight and then back to work.”

The Jets remain unbeaten on the road with a 7-0 mark away from Canada Life Centre this season. It was the seventh time in 16 games this season the Jets have scored six or more goals.

“We knew that there was going to be some opportunities going both ways,” said Jets head coach Scott Arniel. “Certainly with the firepower the Rangers have, but when KC, Scheif, and Gabe step up like that, that’s big for us. They did what they needed to do to get us on the board, and that was a big first goal.”

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After going 10 straight games with the exact same lineup, the Jets were forced to make a change on Tuesday after placing Logan Stanley on injured reserve earlier in the day. Haydn Fleury took Stanley’s spot and appeared in his first game since October 18.

“He went from standing still to a hundred mile an hour race,” Arniel said. “He jumped into a game against that, against the Rangers tonight. Real proud of the way he stepped up. We need it. We need the depth.

“To see him jump in and play a solid role, that’s what you need when guys come into the lineup.”

The Rangers nearly opened the scoring in the opening seconds but Chris Kreider rang a shot off the post from a dangerous spot in the Jets zone.

Moments later, Winnipeg made good on a great look to get on the board first.

After New York misplayed the puck in their own end it drifted to the point where Josh Morrissey got it and wired a hard pass to Scheifele, who was open behind the Rangers’ defence. He gathered it and, in one motion, roofed it past Igor Shesterkin to make it 1-0 just 57 seconds in.

The Rangers drew level at the 13:07 mark of an entertaining opening period. Will Cuylle rimmed the puck around the boards in the Winnipeg end, landing on the stick of Braden Schneider at the far point. His shot on goal was stopped by Connor Hellebuyck but Cuylle banged in the rebound to draw level.

It stayed 1-1 into the second period before Winnipeg’s league-best power play got on the board.

Neal Pionk kept a loose puck in at the point and sent it toward the slot where Vilardi made a fantastic hand-eye play to knock the puck out of the air before undressing K’Andre Miller, sending a pass to Nikolaj Ehlers before burying the return pass into an open net for a highlight reel marker at the 8:58 mark.

Winnipeg’s lead lasted less than four minutes. With the Rangers on a power play, Alexis Lafreniere beat Hellebuyck from the point, aided by a great screen by Kreider.

But just over three minutes later, the Jets wrestled control back in this topsy-turvy affair. Pionk sprung Connor on a 2-on-1 with Rasmus Kupari and Connor decided to keep the puck and fire it on goal, beating Shesterkin for his tenth goal of the season, restoring Winnipeg’s lead with 3:57 remaining in the second.

Winnipeg extended the lead just 68 seconds into the third when Dylan DeMelo sent a puck to the net that was deftly deflected by Scheifele past Shesterkin for his second of the night.

New York responded 32 seconds later when Kaapo Kaako jammed home a rebound to make it 4-3.

It stayed a one-goal game until the 13:08 mark as Vlad Namestnikov and Ehlers were sprung on a 2-on-1. Ehlers misfired on a one-timer off the rush but Namestnikov found the loose puck behind the net after the miss and tucked it into the net with Shesterkin way out of position on the opposite side.

New York tried to mount a comeback but whiffed on some good looks before Connor scored into an empty net with just under a minute to go to make it a 6-3 final.

Hellebuyck turned aside 34 saves to earn the win.

Winnipeg will look to pile onto their record-breaking start to the season Thursday night in Tampa Bay. The game starts just after 6 p.m. with pregame coverage on 680 CJOB beginning at 4 p.m.

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