WINNIPEG — Blake Wheeler had a goal and one assist as the Winnipeg Jets defeated the Calgary Flames 4-1 in exhibition play Sunday.
Wheeler and Joone Luoto had third-period goals 72 seconds apart while Jack Roslovic scored 50 seconds into the game. Nikolaj Ehlers added an empty-goal with 1:36 remaining in the game.
Flames forward Adam Kuzicka had tied the game 1-1 at the six-minute mark of the third.
Laurent Brossoit made 22 saves for the Jets (2-1-1). Cam Talbot stopped 25-of-28 shots for the Flames (2-2-1).
Roslovic used a rebound off a Tucker Poolman shot from the point to beat Talbot and open the game’s scoring.
Shots on goal for the first period were 11-10 for the Jets.
Winnipeg forward Logan Shaw provided some highlights in the scoreless second period.
Shaw fired a shot that Talbot quickly stretched out his pad to save, then he broke up Calgary forward Austin Czarnik’s breakaway that came after teammate Logan Stanley’s giveaway.
The Flames flipped the edge on shots on goal and had a 20-18 advantage after the middle frame.
With Jets defenceman Dmitry Kulikov in the penalty box for boarding Flames forward Glenn Gawdin, Kuzicka tied it up by flipping the puck over Brossoit’s stretched pad.
Wheeler regained Winnipeg’s lead with a fortunate re-directed puck.
Jets defenceman Anthony Bitetto’s shot went off the skate of Oliver Kylington and the puck slid over to Wheeler, who deposited it into an open side of the net at 9:43.
Luotto then deflected in Stanley’s shot at 10:55 to stretch the lead. Ehlers put the puck in the empty net at 18:24.
Winnipeg had Mark Scheifele and Wheeler back together on the top line with Ehlers.
Calgary left a lot of veteran forwards at home, but its defence included T.J. Brodie, Michael Stone and Andrew MacDonald on his professional tryout contract.
The Jets travel to take on the Flames again Tuesday.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 22, 2019.
Judy Owen, The Canadian Press