Laine scores twice to propel Jets past Stars

WINNIPEG --Patrik Laine scored two goals to tie for most in the NHL, and the Winnipeg Jets increased their lead in second place in the Central Division with a 4-2 win against the Dallas Stars at Bell MTS Place on Sunday.
Laine's 43 goals are tied with Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals. He has 26 points (18 goals, eight assists) during a 15-game point streak, the longest active streak in the League, and longest by a teenager in League history.

"No, just look at the team standings," said Laine on if he's paying attention to the goal-scoring race. "But it sounds good to me. Like I've said before, maybe a week ago, I don't want to be tied. I want to take the solo lead and I'll try to do that next game."
\[WATCH: All Stars vs. Jets highlights\]
Ben Chiarot and Blake Wheeler scored, and Connor Hellebuyck made 28 saves for Winnipeg (43-19-10), which is 6-2-1 in its past nine games and leads the Minnesota Wild by seven points for second in the Central.
"I thought we were resilient," Wheeler said. "They came out with a little bit of a push in the second, we answered right away, scored a big goal to get that lead again. It's the way it's going to be, 3-2 going into the third against a really good team."
Mattias Janmark and Jamie Benn scored for Dallas (38-27-8), which has lost five straight (0-3-2). The Stars are tied with the Los Angeles Kings for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference, but the Kings hold the tiebreaker because they have played fewer games.

"I think we can clean up little parts of our game," Benn said. "I thought for the most part we played an all right game. Stupid penalty at first by myself. Laine did Laine things again against us."
Ben Bishop, who made three saves, left the game at 10:11 of the first period with a lower-body injury and will be re-evaluated in two weeks, Stars coach Ken Hitchcock said. He was replaced by Kari Lehtonen, who made 17 saves.
"I think he played a really good game," Stars defenseman John Klingberg said. "He stepped up for us, made some huge saves. We know we have two good goalies and they're probably our best players every night now, so we depend on both of them."
Laine made it 1-0 with a power-play goal at 19:59 of the first period. After Wheeler tripped along the right wing, he sent a pass while on his side to Laine, who one-timed a shot past Lehtonen from the left circle.

"We did a really good job until they scored the fluky power-play goal," Stars coach Ken Hitchcock said. "I mean, the guy is on his belly and he makes a pass that goes through three people."
Janmark tied the game 1-1 at 1:13 of the second period on a wrist shot following a turnover by Laine.
Chiarot gave the Jets a 2-1 lead 1:04 later with a slap shot from the left point.
Laine extended the lead to 3-1 at 6:43, scoring five-hole on Lehtonen with a wrist shot from the right circle.
Benn cut it to 3-2 at 17:13, beating Hellebuyck over his right shoulder on the power play.

Wheeler scored an empty-net goal at 18:31 of the third period to make it 4-2.

Goal of the game

Laine's goal at 6:43 of the second period.

Saves of the game

Hellebuyck's saves on Stephen Johns at 15:56 of the second period, Julius Honka at 16:04, and Devin Shore at 16:11.

Highlight of the game

Bishop's save on Bryan Little at 10:11 of the first period.

They said it

"I think we took a step in the right direction here. We played a better game 5-on-5, we got one on the power play as well. Tough break on the (penalty kill) in the first, but that's how hockey is, and we've just got to move on." -- Stars defenseman John Klingberg
"We stayed with it right to the very end, we battled hard and we played our game. We're building very well right now and we're going to lead this into the playoffs and continue our small details that win us these games." -- Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck

Need to know

Laine has five goals against the Stars this season, and 13 in the past two seasons. … Jets defenseman Jacob Trouba will be re-evaluated on Monday after leaving the game early in the third period following a hit by Benn.

What's next

Stars:At the Washington Capitals on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSWA, FS-SW+, NHL.TV)
Jets: Host the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; TSN3, FS-W, NHL.TV)