Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler power Jets past Flyers

WINNIPEG --Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler each had a goal and two assists to help the Winnipeg Jets to a 3-2 win against the Philadelphia Flyers at MTS Centre on Tuesday.
Mathieu Perreault had a goal and an assist for the Jets (33-33-7), who moved within 10 points of the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference.

WATCH: All Flyers vs. Jets highlights
"We knew it was going to be a grind, they play a tough game, they swarm the puck," Scheifele said. "But we stuck to our game and got rewarded."
Michael Hutchinson made 24 saves in his first start since Jan. 16. He made 13 saves in relief for his first win since Dec. 22, a 5-4 victory against the Minnesota Wild on Sunday.
"It was just nice to be in the game and see some game action," Hutchinson said. "When you have some time in between games, [momentum] doesn't really carry over. I felt good right from the get-go in this game."

Jordan Weal and Matt Read scored for the Flyers (33-31-8), who remained seven points back of the Toronto Maple Leafs for the second wild card in the East.
Steve Mason made 30 saves, losing for the first time in regulation against Winnipeg in his career (6-1-1). The Flyers had won their past six games against the Jets.
"I don't think anyone is too pleased with this game," Mason said. "It's frustrating for everybody, considering the situation we are in. We need to be a more desperate hockey club. I don't think we were tonight."
Weal made it 1-0 at 4:28 of the second period. Wayne Simmonds' initial shot was saved by Hutchinson, but Simmonds collected his own rebound behind the net and sent it out front to Weal for his fourth goal of the season.
"We started the game well, played the game we kind of wanted to," Flyers captain Claude Giroux said. "They have players that make plays on the other side and a couple mistakes and it was in our net."
Perreault tied the game 1-1 at 7:02 when he tipped Wheeler's point shot for a power-play goal.
Wheeler scored his 22nd at 7:02 of the third period to make it 2-1. Scheifele made it 3-1 with his 29th on a wrist shot from the slot at 13:51.
Read scored shorthanded with two seconds left to make it 3-2.

Goal of the game

Scheifele's forecheck off a neutral zone faceoff helped create a turnover in the Flyers zone. Wheeler picked up a loose puck and passed to Scheifele and his quick wrist shot beat Mason on his glove side.

Save of the game

Hutchinson stretched out to make a glove save on Simmonds after the Flyers forward skated into the slot and got a wrist shot off with the Flyers net empty and down two goals late in the third period.

Highlight of the game

Mason got the shaft of his stick on Patrik Laine's one-timer in the slot, a shot that knocked the stick out of Mason's hand in the second period.

Unsung performance of the game

Jets defenseman Nelson Nogier had a shot and three hits in 12:16 in his first NHL career game.

They said it

"We're a better team than what happened tonight." -- Flyers captain Claude Giroux
"We haven't been a good road team and it's cost us, it's put us in the position we're in right now. It's easy to have a good record at home, you're comfortable there. But we have to elevate our games on the road. It's a little bit more difficult to feel good about your game on the road, but it's all about hard work and working for it and we're not doing a good job." -- Flyers goaltender Steve Mason
"About 10 minutes into the game, once I got a few shifts under my belt. I was fortunate to get my legs under me pretty quick and got a few touches with the puck. From there, I just tried to settle down." -- Jets defenseman Nelson Nogier on playing his first NHL game

Need to know

The Flyers signed 2014 third-round pick defenseman Mark Friedman to an entry-level contract for the 2017-18 season. He will report to Leigh Valley of the American Hockey League. ... The line of Scheifele, Wheeler and Perreault combined for eight points (three goals, five assists). ... Wheeler has 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) in his past 11 games. ... Scheifele has 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) in his past 12 games.

What's next

Flyers: At the Minnesota Wild on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; FS-N, FS-WI, CSN-PH,
NHL.TV
)
Jets: At the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday (10:30 p.m. ET; FS-W, TSN3,
NHL.TV
)