Scheifele's 3 points help Jets hand Bruins 3rd straight loss

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) Mark Scheifele had a goal and two assists to lead the Winnipeg Jets to a 4-3 win over Boston on Thursday night, handing the Bruins their third straight loss.

Blake Wheeler added a goal and an assist, and Jacob Trouba and Nikolaj Ehlers also scored for the Jets, who snapped a two-game skid and improved to 5-5 in their last 10 games. Patrik Laine had two assists and Connor Hellebuyck stopped 36 shots as Winnipeg moved three points ahead of Nashville atop the Central Division.

Charlie McAvoy, Joakim Nordstrom and Charlie Coyle scored for Boston and David Krejci had two assists. Tuukka Rask finished with 20 saves.

Ehlers scored the eventual game-winner with just under 7 minutes left after Trouba put the Jets ahead 3-2 earlier in the third period.

Coyle got Boston within one with 2:56 remaining, but the Bruins couldn't tie it up with an extra attacker.

Winnipeg's top line of Laine, Scheifele and Wheeler did the early damage, giving the home team a 2-0 lead in the opening period that turned into a 2-2 contest midway through the second.

Wheeler scored his 20th of the season 1:08 into the game off a rebound after Laine's one-timer hit the crossbar.

Laine found Scheifele rushing to the net on the power play and sent him a pass for his career-high, team-leading 33rd with 8:36 left in the opening period. Scheifele had been held off the scoresheet the previous four games.

McAvoy's high shot with 2:37 remaining in the period cut the lead to 2-1 and Nordstrom tied it up midway through the second when he banged in a rebound behind a sprawled Hellebuyck.

The Jets had a chance to go ahead with their second power play of the game a few minutes later, but Laine twice hit a post.

NOTES: The Bruins were without injured D Torey Krug (upper body). ... Boston outshot Winnipeg 30-19 after two periods, and 39-24 for the game.

UP NEXT

Bruins: host Columbus n Saturday.

Jets: Host Calgary on Saturday to finish a three-game homestand.

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