NHL Game Summary - Carolina at Winnipeg
Winnipeg, MB (SportsNetwork.com) - Andrew Ladd and Adam Lowry scored early goals and the Winnipeg Jets halted a four-game losing streak with a 3-1 decision over the still-winless Carolina Hurricanes.
Dustin Byfuglien also tallied to support a 21-save effort from Ondrej Pavelec, as the Jets sent the Hurricanes to 0-3-2 on the young season under first-year head coach Bill Peters.
Jiri Tlusty had Carolina's lone score on a first-period power play, with Anton Khudobin stopping 23 shots in defeat.
After mustering just two goals in all during their four-game skid, the Jets matched that total within the opening three minutes while putting forth a furious start to the contest.
Winnipeg quickly pressured the Carolina zone and was rewarded for it, as Khudobin couldn't control the puck after stopping a long drive from Toby Enstrom and Ladd jammed in the loose disc on second effort to put the Jets ahead just 1:57 in.
It was 2-0 a mere 40 seconds later when Lowry successfully re-directed Grant Clitsome's point shot following a faceoff win in the Hurricanes' end for the rookie's first career NHL goal.
"The start obviously wasn't what we were looking for at all," Peters said.
Carolina then capitalized on the power play to cut the deficit in half. Pavelec made the initial save on Riley Nash's wrister, but Tlusty skated in uncontested from the right side to knock in the rebound with 7:03 elapsed in the contest.
The Jets registered the only score of the second period despite managing just four shots. It came from Byfuglien, who beat Justin Faulk to a loose puck and skated down the ice on a breakaway before beating Khudobin with a backhand try with 3:34 left in the frame.
Pavelec polished off the victory by coming up with eight stops in the third, during which Winnipeg killed off a pair of penalties to end any Carolina comeback hopes.
"There are still some areas we can improve on, but it's nice to get a good feeling back in here and some confidence in putting the puck in the net," Ladd said.