Mark Scheifele became the Jets’ all-time games leader and recorded three assists in Winnipeg’s 5-2 win over the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday.
Already the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, Scheifele played in his 898th career game in a Jets uniform, moving ahead of Blake Wheeler for the most in Atlanta/Winnipeg franchise history. Scheifele celebrated the milestone with his third three-point game of the season and his 16th career game with three or more assists.
The Jets are 3-1-0 in their last four games.
Neal Pionk, Kyle Connor and Josh Morrissey each had a goal and an assist and Nino Niederreiter had two assists. Adam Lowry and Logan Stanley scored Winnipeg’s other goals.
Eric Comrie stopped 20 of 22 shots, including an outstanding save on Kent Johnson during a Columbus power play in the third period. Comrie is 4-1-0 in five starts this season, playing sparingly but effectively behind workhorse starter Connor Hellebuyck.
The regulation loss snapped the Blue Jackets’ five-game points streak (3-0-2).
Miles Wood and Zach Werenski scored for the Jackets and Elvis Merzlikins stopped 25 of 30 shots.
At 7:35 of the first period, a nice pass into the slot from Niederreiter set up Lowry’s first goal of the season. Lowry missed Winnipeg’s first 12 games while recovering from offseason hip surgery.
Wood equalized 18:35 into the first period, after a Damon Severson pass from behind the goal line deflected off Wood near center ice. Wood outraced Jets defenseman Dylan DeMelo to the loose puck and scored his fifth goal of the season.
Morrissey tipped in an excellent Scheifele pass in front of the Columbus net at 1:12 of the second period to restore Winnipeg’s lead. Pionk added his first goal of the season during a Jets power play 15:30 into the second frame, blasting a one-timer past a screened Merzlikins.
Connor deposited a bad-angle shot between Merzlikins and the post at 2:45 of the third period. Werenski reduced the Blue Jackets’ deficit with a goal 4:04 into the third frame, but Stanley responded with a booming slap-shot marker for the Jets at the 6:23 mark.
–Field Level Media
