Jets defeat Rangers, fastest in NHL history to 15 wins
Scheifele, Connor each scores twice, Hellebuyck has 34 saves for Winnipeg; Cuylle gets goal, assist for New York
Jets at Rangers | Recap
NEW YORK — The Winnipeg Jets became the fastest team to 15 wins in NHL history by defeating the New York Rangers in their 16th game of the season, 6-3 at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.
The Jets (15-1-0) reached 15 wins faster than the 2022-23 Boston Bruins, 2007-08 Ottawa Senators, 2006-07 Buffalo Sabres, 1985-86 Philadelphia Flyers and 1929-30 Boston Bruins. They all did it in 17 games, previously the fastest.
Kyle Connor had two goals and an assist, Mark Scheifele scored two goals, Neal Pionk had three assists, and Nikolaj Ehlers had two assists. Connor Hellebuyck made 34 saves. Winnipeg has won seven in a row.
Will Cuylle had a goal and an assist, Artemi Panarin had an assist to extend his home point streak to eight games, and Igor Shesterkin made 26 saves for the Rangers (9-4-1).
Scheifele gave the Jets a 1-0 lead 57 seconds into the first period, scoring from between the circles off a defensive zone turnover by Mika Zibanejad. Josh Morrissey got the puck on the right-wing wall and found Scheifele in front.
Cuylle made it 1-1 at 13:07 by scoring off a rebound of Braden Schneider’s point shot.
Gabriel Vilardi’s power-play goal at 8:58 of the second period gave the Jets a 2-1 lead.
K’Andre Miller fumbled the puck behind the net, allowing Winnipeg to sustain possession. Pionk sent the puck to the net and Vilardi tipped it down, slipped around Miller, dished to Ehlers on the right side and got it back for a tap-in power-play goal.
Alexis Lafreniere scored a power-play goal for the Rangers at 12:51 to even it again at 2-2.
Connor gave the Jets their third one-goal lead, 3-2, at 16:03, scoring off the rush following another Zibanejad turnover.
Scheifele made it 4-2 at 1:08 of the third period, scoring from in front off a pass from Dylan DeMelo seconds after Vilardi took the puck away from Zibanejad.
Kaapo Kakko scored 32 seconds later to make it 4-3.
Vladislav Namestnikov extended the lead to 5-3 at 13:08, scoring from below the goal line off an end wall rebound from Ehlers’ shot.
Connor’s empty-net goal at 19:40 made it 6-3.