Laine's hat trick helps Jets double up Canucks to open road trip

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -Paul Maurice said the road can help a team get into a rhythm.
The Winnipeg Jets (12-5-2) took those words to heart and opened the four-game trip with a 6-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks.
Patrik Laine notched his second hat trick of the season, while his line with Bryan Little and Kyle Connor combined for nine points in a win that saw the Jets outshoot the Canucks 49-25.
The goals were nice for Laine, but the fact two of them came at even strength meant just a little bit more.
"If you stay patient and work hard, you're going to get rewarded. I got rewarded tonight," said Laine, who now is tied with Mark Scheifele for the team lead in goals with 11. "Being patient, that's the key. From now on if I don't score in the next 20 five-on-five, I'm not going to lose it all. I'm just going to stay patient and keep working hard."

Mark Scheifele lit the lamp once, while Connor and Little each had singles of their own. Connor's four-point night extended his point streak to five games. The 21-year-old has nine points in that span.
"I'm getting better each game and continue to strive to be a better player out there," said Connor. "When our team is playing the right way, and me personally, when we get our chances it's just a matter of when we bury them."
The trio got to work early in the first period.
With Laine giving chase, Jacob Markstrom tried to play the puck around the boards, but his shot was picked off at the hashmarks by Little, who wasted no time hammering it into the empty net just 1:13 into the contest.
"I definitely think you score on your first shift, it seems like you have an extra gear out there," Little said. "That was kind of the way it was tonight. We got that one early and it just seemed we were skating really well together."

Just a few minutes later, with the Canucks up a man due to a Dustin Byfuglien slashing penalty, Elias Pettersson one-timed a Ben Hutton pass into the top corner. Pettersson's 12th of the season tied the game on Vancouver's second shot of the game.
But Scheifele would get another chance in front of Markstrom - this time, he wouldn't miss. Nikolaj Ehlers took the initial shot off the rush from the right wing, and when the rebound popped loose, Scheifele slid home his 11th of the season.
Vancouver's Markus Granlund took a hooking penalty 16 seconds after the Scheifele marker putting the Jets on their second power play of the period. It took 23 seconds for Kyle Connor to streak in on the left wing, and lift his 10th of the season into the top corner on the short side to make it 3-1 Jets.
"He's so fast and confident out there. That goal looked like he didn't have any room," said Little. "He came in confidently like he was going to score no problem. It was an unbelievable shot. He just has that feel with the puck. It's fun to watch and for me, it's easy to play with him."

A forced turnover in the Vancouver zone by Connor extended the offensive zone time for the Jets and seconds later, it led to Pettersson and Hutton colliding near the bottom of the right wing circle. Connor tapped the loose puck to Laine in the slot, where the Finnish sniper made no mistake, going top corner for his ninth of the season - and a 4-1 Jets lead.
"Kyle has that straight line speed, it opens up the other two. They don't need much. Patrik has never needed more than six or seven inches to get a pass through and it's in the back of the net," said Maurice.
"I'm happy for them. They've worked hard in practice. They're committed to the line and after a payoff like that, they'll be excited about it."
The Canucks didn't go away however. First. Tyler Motte blocked a shot from Dustin Byfuglien on a Jets power play, took it the other way, and beat Hellebuyck on the stick side. Just short of seven minutes later, Nikolay Goldobin pounced on a turnover, drove in front of Hellebuyck, and beat the Jets goaltender's outstretched left pad to pull Vancouver within one.
Despite the Vancouver rally, Maurice didn't think his team changed its mindset.
"I didn't think we came off it that much. The other team is going to have a little bit of a push," said Maurice. "Part of what they do in a tighter game is their D are getting up the ice all the time. It's also how we scored a few of our goals.
"I thought we were pretty solid."

Laine's second of the night came off the rush. Connor started it and left it for Little a few feet inside the line. Laine called for it from the slot, and Little hit the seam with a perfect pass, met with Laine's perfectly-timed one-timer. Just like that, the lead was back to two.
Connor would help Laine complete his sixth career hat trick when he fed the right-winger on a 2-on-1 with an empty net.
"We were just moving right from the start. It helped we scored on the first shift. I think just moving our feet, that was the key," said Laine.
"My line mates made some great plays. KC passed on all my goals, Bryan was terrific tonight. I think our whole line played a really good game. We just have to keep doing that."
Next up the Jets head into Calgary to take on the Flames on Wednesday night.