WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) - The Winnipeg Jets shoved aside yet another opponent at Bell MTS Place.
Mathieu Perreault scored twice, Connor Hellebuyck made 31 saves and Winnipeg beat the San Jose Sharks 4-1 on Sunday to extend its home winning streak to five games.
Matt Hendricks and Marko Dano also scored to help the Central Division-leading Jets improve to 16-3-1 at home and 25-11-7 overall. Their home power-play unit is the most-efficient in the NHL.
“It’s great coming to the rink knowing we have a strong game here at home,” Perreault said. “Not so sure why it’s been that way but we’re having a lot of fun right now. We’re just really happy with how things are going.”
Jets coach Paul Maurice said confidence has been the key to the home success.
“We also know that a big chunk of our home games are still ahead of us,” Maurice said. “November, December were tough schedules. We made the most of our home games which was really, really critical. Some of those road trips can be a little taxing for your club, so you got to be good at home.”
Logan Couture had a power-play goal for San Jose.
“I thought we were in the game,” Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said. “They jumped on us in the first five, six minutes. I thought we knew that was going to happen and I thought we got our legs underneath us. I really liked our game. Really, the third goal was killer. Overall, we’re OK. “We’re not perfect. We’re not exactly where we want to be, but it could be worse.”
The Jets opened the scoring midway through the first period on Hendricks’ breakaway. He beat Martin Jones to the glove side on the backhand for his fourth goal of the season.
Winnipeg made it 2-0 midway through the second when Dano deflected Jacob Trouba’s point shot for his second goal of the season.
Couture connected on the power play with 5:13 left in the period for his 16th of season and first since Dec. 9.
Perreault restored Winnipeg’s two-goal cushion with a power-play goal late with 58 seconds left in the second. Perreault added an empty-netter, giving him 12 goals.
“We would have liked to get another power-play goal and shut them down on our (penalty kill),” said Couture. “But they scored some timely goals that won the game. The third was tough to come back down two against that team in the third period. They shut it down pretty good.”
NOTES: Winnipeg captain Blake Wheeler assisted on Perreault’s power-play goal to extend his points streak to six games. He has eight points in five games since moving to center after Mark Scheifele was injured. … Jones made 26 saves.
UP NEXT
Sharks: Host Arizona on Saturday night.
Jets: At Buffalo on Tuesday night.
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