Dubois helps Jets push past Sharks

WINNIPEG -- The Winnipeg Jets scored four straight goals in a 4-1 win against the San Jose Sharks at Canada Life Centre on Thursday.

"We were good in the second half and on," Winnipeg coach Paul Maurice said. "We got a little more physical on our forecheck, we got more pucks on the wall, we got more zone time."
Pierre-Luc Dubois had a goal and an assist, Andrew Copp had two assists, and Connor Hellebuyck made 26 saves for the Jets (7-3-3), who had lost two in a row.
"We always talk about defending in a unit of five and that's what makes it hard for the teams that play against you," Dubois said. "But it also makes it hard if you're attacking as a unit of five. To have five guys that are out there that are dangerous and can score and make a pass, it really changes how you defend."

Andrew Cogliano scored, and James Reimer made 30 saves for the Sharks (7-5-1), who have seven players and coach Bob Boughner in the NHL COVID-19 protocol.
"We were in it the whole way," San Jose forward Nick Bonino said. "I think just a couple bad reads led to odd-man rushes the other way. [Reimer] kept us in it. We had our chances. If we'd had a power play or two there ... we didn't get them. We did a great job on the (penalty) kill (3-for-3), kept it close."
Cogliano gave the Sharks a 1-0 lead at 6:28 of the first period.

Kyle Connor tied it 1-1 at 11:38 with his 10th goal of the season, on a rebound of Dubois' shot on the rush.
"I'm just playing my game," Connor said. "We've got pretty good chemistry with [Dubois] right now. I think we're reading each other really well and just taking a little more ownership all over the ice, and we all want the puck and to make a difference."
Nate Schmidt gave the Jets a 2-1 lead at 14:11 of the second period. It was the defenseman's first goal for Winnipeg; he was traded from the Vancouver Canucks in the offseason.
Jansen Harkins made it 3-1 at 19:16, scoring at the left post off a crossing pass by Adam Lowry.
"It's a lot easier going into the third period with a two-goal lead," Lowry said. "You're feeling better, you're getting rewarded for some of the chances. Going into the third up 3-1, it bodes well for your chances."
Dubois scored into an empty net with 33 seconds remaining in the third for the 4-1 final.
"I don't know if we ran out of gas," said Sharks assistant John MacLean, who is coaching San Jose in Boughner's absence. "I mean, I thought we had a couple opportunities and we just weren't able to bury it."
NOTES: Sharks forwards Timo Meier, Kevin Labanc and Matt Nieto, and defensemen Erik Karlsson, Jacob Middleton, Radim Simek and Marc-Edouard Vlasic are in the protocol. The seven players and Boughner are expected to rejoin the team Friday ahead of the game at the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday. San Jose is 3-2-1 in six games without Boughner. … Sharks defenseman Brent Burns had an assist, giving him nine points (one goal, eight assists) during a six-game point streak. … The Jets have a point in 10 of their past 11 games (7-1-3) and are 5-1-1 at home.