Wild allow 5 straight goals in loss to Jets

Published 1:16 am Monday, October 26, 2015

WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Drew Stafford scored twice, Blake Wheeler had two assists and the Jets held off the Minnesota Wild 5-4 on Sunday.

Minnesota’s Jason Zucker scored 10 seconds into the game, but then Winnipeg got five consecutive goals.

Bryan Little tied it 1:22 into the first, Andrew Ladd scored about 2 minutes later and Nikolaj Ehlers made it 3-1 Jets (5-2-1) midway through the period.

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Stafford scored 51 seconds into the second, chasing Wild goalie Darcy Kuemper. Stafford scored again on Devan Dubnyk just under 4 minutes later for his team-leading fifth goal this season.

Wheeler extended his season-opening point streak to a franchise-record eight games. Michael Hutchinson made 26 saves for Winnipeg.

Mikko Koivu, Justin Fontaine and Zach Parise also scored for Minnesota (5-2-1)

Stafford got his first goal on a snap shot from the top of the circle. His other score came after Dustin Byfuglien powered through two defenders to enter the zone. Stafford ended up with the puck, skated to the slot and flipped it past Dubnyk.

Little scored after Kuemper pokechecked the puck and it jumped into the air. The puck bounced off Little, then popped over Kuemper and in.

Ladd put Winnipeg ahead by finding a loose puck at the top of the crease and tapping it past a screened Kuemper.

Ehlers later snapped a quick shot past Kuemper’s blocker on a 2-on-1 rush.

Winnipeg outshot Minnesota 17-9 in the first period.

Kuemper and Dubnyk each had 14 saves.

Koivu and Fontaine scored 38 seconds apart in the second period.

Notes: Winnipeg is now 2-1-1 during its season-long six-game homestand. . The Jets host the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday. . Wheeler’s point streak to start the season surpasses the seven-game streak of former Atlanta Thrasher Donald Audette in 2000-01. . Little’s assist on Ladd’s first-period goal was the 200th of his NHL career.