Jets win fifth straight home game

Mathieu Perreault’s two goals Sunday afternoon lifted the Winnipeg Jets to a 41 win over the San Jose Sharks while also continuing the club’s torrid pace on home ice this season.

Winnipeg (25-11-7), which leads the Central Division with 57 points, captured its fifth-straight win at home to move three points ahead of the Nashville Predators.

“It’s great coming to the rink knowing we have a strong game here at home,” said Perreault. “Not so sure why it’s been that way but we’re having a lot of fun right now. We’re just really happy with how things are going.”

The Jets are among the NHL’s best on home ice with a 16-3-1 record at Bell MTS Place and their home power-play unit ranks No. 1 in the league.

“I feel like we’ve been able to find the lanes and get a lot of pucks on goal,” said Perreault, whose first goal came with the man advantage to give the Jets a 3-1 lead. “A lot of goals that we’ve scored, just like tonight’s goal, was just kind of a rebound, just banging pucks around the crease.

“This is usually what makes a good power play — when you can find those rebounds around the net — and we’ve been able to do that.”

Jets coach Paul Maurice said confidence has been the key to his team’s success at home.

“We also know that a big chunk of our home games are still ahead of us,” Maurice said. “November, December were tough schedules. We made the most of our home games which was really really critical.

“Some of those road trips can be a little taxing for your club, so you gotta be good at home.”