Winnipeg, MB (SportsNetwork.com) – Andrew Ladd and Adam Lowry scored early
goals and the Winnipeg Jets halted a four-game losing streak with a 3-1
decision over the still-winless Carolina Hurricanes.
Dustin Byfuglien also tallied to support a 21-save effort from Ondrej Pavelec
that sent the Hurricanes to 0-3-2 on the young season under first-year head
coach Bill Peters.
Jiri Tlusty had Carolina’s lone score on a first-period power play, with Anton
Khudobin stopping 23 shots in defeat.
After mustering just two goals in all during their four-game skid, the Jets
matched that total within the opening three minutes while putting forth a
furious start to the contest.
Winnipeg quickly pressured the Carolina zone and was rewarded for it, as
Khudobin couldn’t control the puck after stopping a long drive from Toby
Enstrom and Ladd jammed in the loose disc on second effort to put the Jets
ahead just 1:57 in.
It was 2-0 a mere 40 seconds later when Lowry successfully re-directed Grant
Clitsome’s point shot following a faceoff win in the Hurricanes’ end for the
rookie’s first career NHL goal.
Carolina then capitalized on the power play to cut the deficit in half.
Pavelec made the initial save on Riley Nash’s wrister, but Tlusty skated in
uncontested from the right side to knock in the rebound with 7:03 elapsed in
the contest.
The Jets registered the only score of the second period despite managing just
four shots. It came from Byfuglien, who beat Justin Faulk to a loose puck and
skated down the ice on a breakaway before beating Khudobin with a backhand try
with 3:34 left in the frame.
Pavelec polished off the victory by coming up with eight stops in the third,
during which Winnipeg killed off a pair of penalties to end any Carolina
comeback hopes.
Game Notes
The Hurricanes have dropped five in a row to begin a season for only the
second time in franchise history, with the Hartford Whalers also doing so in
1987-88 … Forward Jeff Skinner returned to the Carolina lineup after missing
the season’s first four games with a concussion, but captain Eric Staal (upper
body) sat out for a third straight contest and forward Nathan Gerbe was out
due to a lower-body injury … The Jets finished 0-for-5 on the power play and
are now 0-for-19 in man-advantage situations this season … Carolina was 1-
for-5 on the power play.
