Scheifele's hat trick powers Jets past Stars

Number 55 got to work on the power play in the first period.
After Patrik Laine kept the puck in in a battle along the boards, the puck made its way from Dustin Byfuglien's tape to Blake Wheeler on the half wall. The captain slid a nifty cross-ice feed to Mark Scheifele on his off wing, and he snapped home his fifth of the season.
Laine would snap his personal four-game goalless drought shortly after. Dmitry Kulikov pounced on an Esa Lindell turnover in front of the Stars net, and found the Finnish sniper at the top of the circle, where Laine made no mistake, ripping it over the glove of Ben Bishop.
The goal was a boost to the confidence Laine said was lacking in his game.
"It's only one goal, but hopefully I'm not struggling in the next game," Laine said. "I think we had a really good game with our line, even though they scored two times with us on the ice.
"It's always helpful when you score. It was a good game after that."

The Jets power play would strike again before the first period was over. With Greg Pateryn off for cross checking Dustin Byfuglien, Bryan Little fed Tyler Myers at the point, and his shot beat a screened Bishop to increase the lead to 3-0.
It was the second time this season the Jets power play clicked twice, but Wheeler said the penalty kill, which wasn't tested tonight, has been a big driver of the 7-1-2 run the Jets are on.
"The guys have really bought in to what we're doing on the PK. We've had some good games on the power play, we've had some tough nights on the power play," said Wheeler. "It's a work in progress. When we get that thing dialed in, at the very least we're going to be creating momentum every time we're on the power play, and that's the goal."
Alexander Radulov would get Dallas (7-6-0) on the board and extend his point streak to four games off a face off to the right of Connor Hellebuyck. Little won the draw, but Radulov got around the extended stick of Tyler Myers, and moving to his backhand, outwaited Hellebuyck and lifted the puck over the outstretched pad.
Brandon Tanev, along with the 15,321 in attendance at Bell MTS Place thought he had given the Jets a 4-1 lead off a one-timer from the high slot. But Dallas challenged the play for goaltender interference, and the goal was called back due to Bishop's stick being tied up Scheifele's skate.

After the disallowed goal, The Stars would get to within one. With the puck in Mattias Janmark's possession, Jason Spezza got into Hellebuyck's sightline just long enough to provide a screen, and Janmark's snapshot beat the Jets goaltender over the glove.
Just 1:47 into the third, Scheifele parked himself back in front of Bishop just as he had in the second period. This time, the shot came from Josh Morrissey at the point, and Scheifele's deflection popped up in the air out of the sight of Bishop, and dropped on the goal line and trickled across to put the Jets up 4-2.
Winnipeg out shot the Stars 6-5 in the third period, and kept pace in terms of shot attempts at five-on-five, trailing only 12-9 in that department.
"I thought we skated really well in the third period. Really good gap control and kind of made improvements on the play after the 2-1 goal in (Minnesota)," said head coach Paul Maurice. "For our defence to gap up and have the right kind of gap, and we talk about it a lot, our forwards have to do a lot of work for that to happen.
"We weren't great at it for 10 minutes in Minny, and we gave up a lot of opportunities there. But we got a little better at it tonight. That's what this year is all about, building the confidence in the defensive part of the game."
Scheifele would add an empty netter with 60 seconds to play to wrap up the hat trick, and the third assist of the night for Wheeler.
"I always love playing with Wheels," said Scheifele. "To be working with him throughout the summers, and last year, every time I get to be on the ice with him, it's a huge honour. It's a lot of fun. He's definitely my favourite player I've ever played with."