Connor, Ehlers score twice as soaring Jets beat Sabres
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Kyle Connor had two goals and an assist, Nikolaj Ehlers also scored twice, and the Winnipeg Jets defeated the Buffalo Sabres 7-4 on Tuesday night for their third straight victory.
Patrik Laine and Dustin Byfuglien also scored for the Jets in the opener of a three-game road trip. Joel Armia added an empty-netter.
Blake Wheeler had two assists to extend his point-streak to seven games. The Central Division-leading Jets are 6-0-1 during that stretch.
Winnipeg’s backup goaltender Steve Mason made 30 saves to earn a win for the first time in four starts.
Jack Eichel had two goals and an assist and Ryan O’Reilly had a goal and two assists for the Sabres, who were playing at home for first time since Dec. 22.
Buffalo has lost five in a row and twice in five days against the Jets.
Jason Pominville also scored and Robin Lehner stopped 14 shots before getting pulled early in the second period after allowing a third goal.
Laine scored on a power play at 6:43 of the first to record his 100th NHL point, joining Toronto’s Auston Matthews as the second player from the 2016 draft to reach the milestone. It was Laine’s 19th goal of the season.
The Sabres tied the game when Eichel scored for the first time in five games late in the first period.
Byfuglien responded 49 seconds later for Winnipeg with a slap shot from just inside the blue line for his second of the season.
Ehlers made it 3-1 less than two minutes into the second period, sending Lehner to the bench. Connor lifted one over the shoulder of Sabres backup goaltender Chad Johnson (16 saves) from the slot later in the period and Ehlers scored again midway through a four-minute power play a few minutes later to tie Laine for the team lead with 19 goals. John Carlson, Lars Eller and Evgeny Kuznetsov scored to help Washington beat Vancouver at home for their fifth consecutive victory. Backup goaltender Philipp Grubauer stopped 37 of 38 shots in his third win of the season. It was Washington’s NHL-best 10th straight home win. Daniel Sedin scored for the Canucks, who have lost five in a row.
Tyler Johnson had three goals, Jake Dotchin scored a tiebreaking goal midway through the third period, and Tampa Bay beat Carolina at home. Tampa Bay also got a goal from Victor Hedman, and Brayden Point had three assists. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 28 saves.
Nick Schmaltz scored twice in a five-goal second period to lead Chicago past Ottawa on the road. Viktor Arvidsson had a goal and an assist, helping Nashville top Edmonton at home. Craig Smith also scored and Pekka Rinne made 25 saves in Nashville’s 11th consecutive win against Edmonton. Vincent Trocheck scored twice as Florida used a 3-goal second period to take the lead in a win at St. Louis. Dougie Hamilton scored midway through the overtime period to help Calgary beat Minnesota on the road.
The Nashville Predators signed a trio of defensemen to contract extensions — Yannick Weber, Matt Irwin and Anthony Bitetto. They signed Weber to a twoyear contract worth $650,000 in 2018-19 and $700,000 in 2019-20. Irwin also received a two-year contract worth $650,000 in 2018-19 and $700,000 in 2019-20. Bitetto is averaging 13 minutes, 43 seconds in 22 games played this season or Nashville. He received a one-year, $650,000 contract.