Scheifele scores twice as Jets earn big win over Dallas

WINNIPEG - Mason Appleton summed up his team's 5-1 win over the Dallas Stars the best.
"To be in first place feels damn good."
Appleton recorded his first career three-point night, Mark Scheifele had two goals, and Kyle Connor had three helpers, giving that trio eight points in the victory, which vaulted the Winnipeg Jets (8-3-1) into top spot in the Central Division.
But make no mistake, the win over the Stars took way more than one line.
Pierre-Luc Dubois and Saku Maenalanen also lit the lamp. Connor Hellebuyck made 21 saves.
Every line and every defensive pair that came over the boards contributed to one of the most dominant efforts the Jets have put forth this season.
"I see a more confident team," said head coach Rick Bowness. "They understand if they play the right way and do these things that we keep preaching, we're going to have success."

And the players were happy to have success for their coach, especially in his first meeting with the Stars behind the Jets bench.
"You know he circles that one on his calendar, especially being at home in Winnipeg for that one," said Scheifele. "It was a good game overall. Everyone had a piece of it."
The Jets, now 6-0-1 in their past seven, were on their game from the opening puck drop. Even though there were no goals in a fast-paced first period, the home side outshot Dallas 18-8, and earning eight of the 10 high-danger scoring chances.
"It's just a matter of playing fast when you get the puck and pressuring them when you don't have it," said Bowness. "I liked the fact that we were filling the lanes and using the width of the ice. And we were driving. We were driving the pace."
Despite all the Jets pressure, it was Jason Robertson of the Stars (8-4-1) that notched the game's opening tally, converting on a Roope Hintz pass that snuck between the legs of Neal Pionk 3:06 into the second period.
Not only did the Jets respond 21 seconds later, they turned a 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 lead in a span of 2:35.

First, Scheifele finished off a gorgeous three-way passing play with his linemates. Connor spotted Appleton, sending a feed from the left-wing side to the right circle. From there, Appleton hit Scheifele's tape right by the left post for the game-tying goal.
"That's his best game with that line," Bowness said of Appleton. "Tonight, he did what he does well. He was strong on the boards, reliable defensively and skating the puck without trying to do too much. That line was outstanding tonight."

Just 1:10 after that, Blake Wheeler forced Stars goaltender Scott Wedgewood to turn the puck over behind the Dallas net. Cole Perfetti knocked the loose puck out front, and Dubois chipped home his sixth of the season to put the Jets in front.
To cap off the surge of offence, Scheifele netted his second. This time, it was Connor who spun off a couple checks near the left circle before threading a perfect pass to Scheifele on the back-door side with 6:12 gone in the second.
"KC was dangling. I just tried to get lost, tried to get in some guys' blind spots," Scheifele said. "The crazy thing is we could have had a lot more tonight. We gotta continue to push each other."

It was Scheifele's eighth of the season, the first time he's had that many goals through 12 games in his NHL career.
"It's pretty wild," Scheifele said, noting the fact he only has two assists so far. "Hopefully I have some more assists coming in my game. I missed some plays, I had some guys open today and missed them. That's always something to work on."
Maenalanen pushed the lead to 4-1 late in the second, as he deflected a Pionk point shot through a screened Wedgewood for his first goal as a Jet, and first goal in the NHL since January 15, 2019.
The Jets earned a huge ovation from the home crowd inside Canada Life Centre at the intermission, and carried that energy into the third.
Appleton's empty-netter was the only goal in the final 20, sealing the 5-1 victory, and a 5-1-0 record against the Central.

It may be early, but being on top of the division is exactly where the Jets want to be.
"It's big time," said Appleton. "When I was traded back here at the end of last year, there was a couple of meaningless hockey games, you were just playing for your pride. Those games aren't near as fun as playing for first place, no matter if that is Game 12 or Game 75."
Now, the Jets want to do everything they can to stay there.
"We've got to keep that attitude, there's no being satisfied in this league," said Scheifele. "You've got to keep working for more and playing for more."