By Annie Ross
Josh Morrissey scored one of Winnipeg’s three power-play goals and the Winnepeg Jets routed the visiting Flyers 7-1.
Kyle Connor, Brandon Tanev, Dustin Byfuglien, Blake Wheeler, Bryan Little and Tyler Myers also scored for Winnipeg (18-9-2).
The Flyers outshot the Jets 10-1 through the opening seven minutes, and 17-6 in the first period.
Mark Scheifele assisted on all three of Winnipeg’s second-period goals, and Nikolaj Ehlers and Patrik Laine each had two assists.
Jakub Voracek scored his eighth goal for the Flyers (12-13-3).
“We were dominating in the first,” Voracek said. “Hellebuyck was standing on his head. He was playing pretty well. When they scored that third goal we kind of, I wouldn’t say (we) changed things a whole lot, but we just tried to make the plays that weren’t there.”
The Jets’ power play was 3 for 6, while the Flyers went 0 for 2.
Connor Hellebuyck made 36 saves for Winnipeg.
Michal Neuvirth, in just his second appearance of the season, allowed three goals on 10 shots before being replaced by Anthony Stolarz in the second period. Stolarz stopped 21 shots.
“It’s tough coming back when you haven’t played much hockey, really it’s over the last 10 to 12 months,” Flyers coach Dave Hakstol said of Neuvirth. “Obviously, he wasn’t seeing the puck. That’s a tough first outing.”
Connor’s shot from the high slot found its way through traffic for his 11th of the season to open scoring for Winnipeg midway through the first. It was Connor’s first goal in 10 games.
Morrissey struck less than three minutes later with Radko Gudas off for roughing Scheifele. Morrissey beat a screened Neuvirth with a slap shot for his third goal of the season.
Winnipeg scored three times in the second period, with the first chasing Neuvirth as Tanev jumped on a rebound for his fifth goal of the season.
Five seconds into their second power play of the game, Byfuglien’s point shot made its way through for his third of the season, making it 4-1 for the Jets.
Wheeler’s short-handed breakaway goal late in the second period was the Winnipeg captain’s 15th-career short-handed point, setting a franchise record.
