Lafreniere extends goal streak to 3, Rangers defeat Jets for 3rd straight win

Isak Rosen, Kyle Connor, and Gabriel Vilardi scored for the Jets (26-28-10), who have lost two in a row following a three-game winning streak. Connor Hellebuyck made 11 saves.

“We gave up nine 5-on-5 scoring chances, and they scored four goals off coverage,” Winnipeg coach Scott Arniel said. “It was all coverage. Those tip-in and deflections and getting beat to the net front, those were coverage goals that we just have to get better at.”

The Rangers scored on their first shot of the game while on the power play at 1:08 of the first period. Adam Fox took a pass from Mika Zibanejad and beat Hellebuyck through traffic with a slap shot from the blue line.

“That was tough tonight. Obviously that penalty right away and a turnover, very quickly it’s 1-0,” Arniel said. “I don’t care how it goes if we start slow and get ourselves back into it. At the end of the day, we need to find a way to get two points. Tonight it was D-zone coverage that kicked us.”

Rosen tied it 1-1 at 2:21 of the second period, tipping Jacob Bryson‘s wrist shot from the blue line as he battled in front of the net. It was the first point for Bryson and first goal for Rosen since both were acquired in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres on March 6.

“(I am) getting to know the system more and how we want to play here, more comfortable,” Rosen said. “I was trying to go (to the net front), and if you want to score goals, you have to be there. Sometimes it’s tips, maybe next time a rebound. I think that’s where you have to be if you want to score goals.”

Lafreniere put New York up 2-1 at 7:36 with his fifth goal in three games, tipping Will Borgen‘s point shot from in front to the blocker side on Hellebuyck.

“It wasn’t the start of the season that we would have preferred,” Perreault said. “But we kind of came together as a group here after the (Olympic) break and looked at the schedule and said, ‘Let’s do what we can and play with each other,’ and we’re kind of having fun with it.”

Connor tied it 2-2 at 17:49, toe-dragging through the legs of Fox in the left face-off circle and roofing a shot over a sprawling Shesterkin from in tight.

“(I) just saw him lean in one way and try to make a move, and got it after I had to pull it,” Connor said. “I thought he had a good angle, so that’s why I kind of pump fake them and try to get around him.”

Kartye gave the Rangers a 3-2 lead at 1:15 of the third period when he tipped Matthew Robertson‘s left point shot past Hellebuyck’s glove as he cut across the net front.

“When you look at the types of goals that were scored — [Lafreniere’s] goal was a deflection on stack screen, Tye Kartye’s goal was off a face-off, was getting into the blue paint, and that’s where goals are scored in this League,” New York coach Mike Sullivan said. “I was encouraged by the guys. I’m happy for them. We’ve stringed a few games together. It’s nice that they can feel good about what’s going on around here.”

Vilardi evened the score 3-3 at 4:19. Adam Lowry sent a wrist shot on net from the right circle, and Vilardi collected the rebound and backhanded the puck in around the right pad of Shesterkin from in front.

“Wish I had all the answers here,” Connor said. “It’s a complex game, and a lot of moving parts. I think we definitely need to get better. This team’s not going to just fold in. There’s a lot of compete and a lot of will in this room. A lot of belief, too. So we’ve still got a few games here in the homestand, and we’ve got to take what we can and look for ways to get better starts. Look for all these things that are great questions, that we got to hold each other accountable, and really dig deep here. And you know, this is our push. We need to respond.”

New York took a 4-3 lead at 6:57 when Perreault redirected a backdoor pass from Schneider at the left side of the crease for his third straight multipoint game.

“I just tried to get down there on the forecheck and tried to get the puck back,” Perreault said. “There was a guy on my back so I thought there would be a guy behind him and I’d give it to him, then [Schneider] made a good pass. It handcuffed me a little bit, that’s why I went down low. But every goal counts.”