DETROIT: Kyle Connor scored twice on the power play and added an assist as the Winnipeg Jets held off the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 on Sunday afternoon at Little Caesars Arena.
Cole Perfetti had a goal and two assists for Winnipeg, and Stuart Skinner stopped 33 of 35 shots to earn the win in net, according to NHL.com game data. The victory was the Jets’ first of the regular season, after an overtime loss to the Boston Bruins on Friday.
Viktor Arvidsson, on the power play, and Emmitt Finnie scored for Detroit, which dropped its second straight home game. John Gibson made 24 saves on 27 shots in the loss.
Jets cash in early
Winnipeg scored on each of its first three power plays, and all three came before the Red Wings had a goal. The Jets took advantage of unsportsmanlike conduct penalties against Keegan Kolesar and J.T. Compher in the first period, as reported by The Associated Press.
Perfetti opened the scoring at 13:04 of the first period with Connor and Josh Morrissey assisting. Connor made it 2-0 just 92 seconds later, at 14:36, on a pass from Gabriel Vilardi and Perfetti.
Connor struck again on the man advantage at 5:41 of the second period, with Morrissey and Perfetti picking up the assists, to give Winnipeg a 3-0 lead.
Detroit pushes back
The Red Wings got on the board late in the second. Arvidsson scored on the power play at 16:52, with Andrew Copp and Moritz Seider assisting, to cut the deficit to 3-1.
Finnie pulled Detroit within one at 4:56 of the third period, with assists from Mattias Brandsegg-Nygard and Alex DeBrincat. The Red Wings pressed for the equalizer but could not beat Skinner again.
Detroit out-shot Winnipeg 35-27, according to NHL.com, but the Jets’ early special-teams success proved the difference.
Key performers
Connor led all skaters with three points, and his two goals extended a fast start for the Winnipeg power play. Perfetti was involved in all three Jets goals, scoring one and assisting on the other two.
Skinner, who stopped 33 shots, kept Winnipeg ahead while Detroit held the shot advantage.
What’s next
The Jets continue their road trip Monday in Pittsburgh against the Penguins, then return home to face the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday, according to the NHL schedule.
Game details are from NHL.com and The Associated Press. Team records were not confirmed at the time of publication.
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