Wheeler, Scheifele, and Ehlers combine for eight points in Jets win

WINNIPEG -As the old saying goes, 'it's not how you start, it's how you finish.'
The Winnipeg Jets didn't start Tuesday's game against the Los Angeles Kings the way they wanted to, but they were able to turn a 1-0 deficit through 20 minutes into a 6-3 victory to close out a six-game home stand.
A big part of that turn around was reuniting the trio of Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler, and Nikolaj Ehlers, who combined for eight points in the victory.
But they weren't the only line on fire Tuesday night, however, as Jansen Harkins, Jack Roslovic, and Mason Appleton combined for two goals and four points for the second consecutive game.
After being apart for most of the season, Wheeler enjoyed being back on Scheifele's wing.
"It's like riding a bike," said Wheeler, who moved to centre out of necessity earlier this season when injuries piled up.
"In the back of my head I know where I rank in terms of right-wingers in this world. I like being on the wall. (But) it's not about me. It's not about making me happy. It's about trying to piece together as many wins as we can and by doing that, we've stayed in the fight."

Wheeler, playing in his 700th game with the franchise, scored twice and added an assist in the victory, which pushed the Jets to 31-25-5 this season. Ehlers, Harkins, Appleton, and Patrik Laine added singles in the victory that saw five Jets finish with multiple points.
"They played well in the first, we didn't do enough to get going, then we did. Our forecheck got better, our general speed and everything we did," head coach Paul Maurice said of his team.
"We were able to start choking some pucks off in the neutral zone, which led to the first goal… We were just quite a bit faster with all the things that we did."
Dustin Brown whacked home a rebound 35 seconds into the opening frame to give the Kings a 1-0 lead early, but the Jets turned the momentum in the second period.
They started the middle frame with a number of quality chances, including a three-on-one that Cal Petersen turned aside. But with 6:47 to go in the second, the Jets were rewarded.
A neutral zone turnover sent Laine and Harkins in on a two-on-one on the Kings netminder, with Laine sending a perfect feed through the sticks of Kings defenceman Sean Walker and back-checker Michael Amadio right onto the tape of Harkins. The Jets' second round pick in the 2015 NHL Draft made no mistake, burying his second of the season.
"They're supporting each other all over the ice. They're all quick players," Scheifele said of Harkins' line. "They all can move and make plays, but they're supporting each other all over the ice. That's what's causing their success."

Roslovic picked up the secondary assist on that goal, then factored in on the next one, which gave the Jets their first lead.
The 25th overall selection in the 2015 Draft flew through the neutral zone and left a drop pass for Mason Appleton in the right circle. Appleton - taken in the fourth round of the same draft - fired a wrist shot through Petersen for his fifth of the season - a new career-high.
"They made some really good plays," said Maurice. "All the things they're doing, they're doing at speed. So they're very effective. It got to the point that I had them playing against (Jeff) Carter. That was more of a statement of how well they were playing."
Just 1:28 after that, Scheifele entered the Los Angeles zone and sent a perfect cross-ice pass, under the leg of Kings defenceman Joakim Ryan, onto Wheeler's waiting stick off the right post. The Jets captain made no mistake and increased the lead to 3-1.
"You're watching that back door goal thinking, 'man I haven't seen that in a while, that felt good,'" said Maurice.
"They certainly made a strong argument (to be kept together) today. It's something you know you like, you've seen it work so well. We've had our challenges with pieces of lines. One of the reasons you would strongly consider it is the play of the Roslovic line."
Los Angeles pulled within one early in the third on Martin Frk's wrap around, but the Jets restored the two-goal lead with another quick strike.
Scheifele and Ehlers flew into the Kings' zone with Scheifele finding Ehlers in the middle of the ice with a quick pass. The speedy Dane flipped a wrist shot inside the left post, giving him 21 goals on the season.
"I think we responded well. When they got some momentum, or got a chance, or scored a goal, we replied appropriately," said Scheifele, who finished with two assists. "It was a good team win tonight."

Brown's second of the game, with 4:44 to go in regulation brought the score to 4-3, but Laine potted an empty netter then Wheeler added his second of the night, a deflection of a Neal Pionk blast.
The Jets finished the home stand with eight of a possible 12 points and for the time being, are one point back of the final wildcard spot in the Western Conference.
"It was big. It was a big game for us tonight," said Scheifele. "It was a good home stand. It was good to get some wins at home. We just have to keep this going on the road."