Blake Wheeler recorded a goal and two assists as the Winnipeg Jets earned a 6-3 victory over the visiting Montreal Canadiens on Thursday.
Down 3-1 midway through the game, the Jets scored five unanswered goals to extend their winning streak to three games.
It was an unsuccessful debut for Dominique Ducharme, who replaced Claude Julien as Montreal’s coach on Wednesday. The Canadiens are 0-2-2 in their past four games and 2-5-2 over their past nine games.
Kyle Connor scored two goals for Winnipeg. Pierre-Luc Dubois and Mark Scheifele each had a goal and an assist while Andrew Copp had two assists.
Nate Thompson scored the game-winner at 6:37 of the third period for his first goal in a Jets uniform. The veteran forward signed a one-year deal with Winnipeg in October but was playing in only his seventh game due to a lower-body injury.
Joel Armia scored two goals and Jeff Petry had two assists for Montreal.
Tomas Tatar scored the Canadiens’ other goal, a power-play marker at 7:33 of the second frame. The goal snapped Montreal’s 0-for-11 drought on the power play over the previous six-plus games.
Tatar’s score gave the Canadiens their second two-goal lead of the game, but Connor scored to begin Winnipeg’s comeback at 11:50 of the second period. Wheeler scored the equalizer less than three minutes later.
It was another tough night for Montreal goalie Carey Price, who stopped 24 of 29 shots. Price is 1-4-1 with an .870 save percentage over his past six games.
Connor Hellebuyck stopped 18 of 21 shots for his ninth victory of the season.
Scheifele has scored in six consecutive games as part of a career-best, 11-game points streak. Scheifele has eight goals and 10 assists over the course of his streak.
Canadiens forward Josh Anderson didn’t return to the game after a collision with Jets defenseman Dylan DeMelo in the first period.
The Canadiens lost for the first time in regulation in 11 road games (6-1-4) this season.
The two teams play again in Winnipeg on Saturday.
–Field Level Media
