Jets Out Pace Islanders – Trouba & Lowry Lead

NEW YORK — Jacob Trouba and Adam Lowry scored 22 seconds apart early in the third period, rallying the Winnipeg Jets to a 3-1 victory over the New York Islanders on Tuesday night.

Nikolaj Ehlers added an empty-net goal with 2.1 seconds left and Connor Hellebuyck stopped 27 shots as Winnipeg won for the fifth time in six games.

Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck
Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck (Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports)

The Jets have three straight road wins for the first time this season after completing a sweep of their three-game trip to the New York area. Winnipeg beat New Jersey 4-3 in overtime on Saturday, then won 4-3 in a shootout against the Rangers on Sunday.

Anders Lee scored for the Islanders, who have lost three of four. Thomas Greiss finished with 21 saves.

Lee broke the scoreless tie 1:33 into the third period when he knocked down Johnny Boychuk’s shot from the right point and beat Hellebuyck from the left side for his 10th. It gave Lee four goals and six points in the last six games.

Trouba tied it on the power play with a slap shot straightaway from the blue line for his third at 3:39. Lowry put the Jets ahead as he scored on a rebound of Brandon Tanev’s shot in front for his fifth at 4:01.

After a brisk first period in which neither team mustered a lot of chances, both picked up the pace in the second. Winnipeg, outshot 8-3 in the first, had a 15-12 edge in the middle period.

The Islanders’ best try of the period came about six minutes in when Hellebuyck stopped Lee’s tip try in front and then denied Jordan Eberle’s follow attempt. Greiss made two stellar saves on Kyle Connor late in the second to keep the game scoreless. First, he stopped Connor’s try in front, then he made a shoulder save lunging to his right on Connor’s follow.

New York had the first five shots of the game but then went nine minutes between Nick Leddy’s slap shot from beyond the left circle at 7:48 and Valtteri Filppula’s attempt from the edge of the left circle with 3:08 remaining.

Winnipeg didn’t get its first shot on goal until Tyler Myers’ try from the right point 9:11 in, but then had nothing after Blake Wheeler’s slap shot from the right circle with 8:01 left in the opening period.

NOTES: The Jets’ Mark Scheifele snapped a five-game point streak in which he had five goals and four assists. Patrik Laine ended a five-game point and assist streak in which he had a goal and eight assists. … Winnipeg is 7-0-0 this season in games tied after two periods, and 9-3-0 when giving up the first goal. … The Jets improved to 8-4-1 against Eastern Conference teams. … Winnipeg has scored 38 goals over its last nine games. … The teams conclude the season series March 28 at Winnipeg. … Lee has 10 goals and 14 points in 11 career games against the Jets. … The Islanders dropped to 0-4-0 against Central Division teams. … New York went 0 for 2 on the power play and is 0 for 18 over its last eight games.

UP NEXT

Jets: Host St. Louis on Friday night in the opener of a four-game homestand.

Islanders: At Pittsburgh on Thursday night to begin a two-game trip.

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Vin A. Cherwoo, The Associated Press