WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) - Patrik Laine’s first NHL goal was special in many ways.
It came on the power play. His parents from Finland were in the stands. It drew a roar from Winnipeg Jets fans like none he’d heard before.
And, more importantly, it helped the Jets come back from a 4-1 third-period deficit to beat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-4 in overtime Thursday night.
Mark Scheifele scored the winner at 2:41 of overtime, taking a pass from captain Blake Wheeler. The puck went high past goalie Cam Ward.
Mathieu Perreault had tied it at 4 with 1:29 left in regulation with an extra attacker, with Laine assisted on the score.
The 18-year-old Laine said it wasn’t really a relief to get his first NHL goal, which made it 4-3 at 13:33 after Wheeler had scored short-handed.
“I was happy with my game before the goal,” said Laine, the No. 2 overall pick this year. “I think I played pretty well in all of the zones, but it was nice to get the goal and the assist at the end of that third period.”
Many eyes were on Laine prior to the game after this first overall pick Auston Matthews scored four goals for the Toronto Maple Leafs in his debut Wednesday.
“He’s playing his game and his career,” Laine said. “I don’t want to match my game to his. He can score 20 goals in a game, I don’t care. It’s good for him. I’m just going to help my team to win with my things.”
Hobey Baker award finalist Kyle Connor, who was also making his regular-season debut, assisted on Laine’s goal. Shawn Matthias also scored.
“A young team gets down 4-1, very, very few of them come back,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said.
Jeff Skinner and Lee Stempniak each had a goal and add an assist for Carolina. Jordan Staal and Victor Rask also scored for the Hurricanes.
Skinner wasn’t happy with the run-and-gun style of play.
“For the fans it’s exciting,” Skinner said. “If you win that way, it’s nice. But it’s not fun to lose that way. When you get a 4-1 lead like that you definitely don’t want to play that way. They’ve got some guys with some skill who can hurt you when you open it up like that.”
Connor Helleybuyck made 23 saves for Winnipeg, and Ward stopped 21 shots.
NOTES: Winnipeg center Bryan Little collided with Carolina forward Bryan Bickell midway through the first period. Little hobbled off the ice favoring a leg and didn’t return to the game. … The Jets had a two-man advantage for 1:49 in the opening period, producing shots that went off the post and one off the crossbar.
UP NEXT
Hurricanes: Carolina moves on to Vancouver on Sunday night for the second game in of a season-opening, six-game trip. The Hurricanes also will visit Edmonton, Calgary, Philadelphia and Detroit.
Jets: Winnipeg will play at Minnesota on Saturday night.
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