Dustin Byfuglien leads Winnipeg Jets past Minnesota Wild 2-1 in pre-season play

WINNIPEG - Dustin Byfuglien broke open a scoreless game in the second period to lead the Winnipeg Jets to a 2-1 win over the Minnesota Wild on Monday to open the NHL pre-season for both.

Byfuglien slammed the puck past Ilya Bryzgalov at 14:15 from the blue-line on a Winnipeg power play.

It's a trademark shot for Byfuglien, back in his comfort zone on defence because Winnipeg was on the power play. He's a forward, on a line with Andrew Ladd and Bryan Little, at even strength.

Byfuglien's slapshot was in the corner of the net before the veteran netminder closed his glove. Bryzgalov wasn't signed again this season by the Wild but was invited to camp on a tryout contract after Josh Harding broke his foot.

Little made it 2-0 early in the third, slipping another behind Bryzgalov from a scramble beside the Minnesota net.

The Wild pulled their goalie and spoiled the shutout with 14 seconds left in the game when Tyler Graovac scored on a power play.

The Wild outshot the Jets 28-18.

Both teams played a lot of prospects. The Jets didn't dress last season's top scorer Blake Wheeler or Evander Kane and gave last season's star rookies Mark Scheifele and Jacob Trouba the night off.

Wheeler, Scheifele and Kane are expected to be one of Winnipeg's top lines this season.

Minnesota didn't bring stars such as Zach Parise, Mikko Koivu or Ryan Suter.

Both put their starters in the net for the first half of the game but switched them midway through the second period, with Michael Hutchinson taking over from Ondrej Pavelec in the Jets net and Bryzgalov replacing Niklas Backstrom for the Wild.

Backstrom is back after his second major surgery in the last couple of seasons.

One rookie who stood out for the Jets was six-foot-five centre Adam Lowry, who gained some pro experience last season with the St. John's IceCaps of the AHL.