Jets top Blues for first win after Maurice resigns as coach

WINNIPEG -- The Winnipeg Jets won for the first time since Paul Maurice resigned as coach, 4-2 against the St. Louis Blues at Canada Life Centre on Sunday.

Maurice resigned Friday, hours before the Jets' 5-2 loss to the Washington Capitals in Dave Lowry's NHL coaching debut.
"It feels great," Lowry said after his first NHL coaching win." I thought our guys played an outstanding game. We competed and did everything we wanted to do."
Nikolaj Ehlers had a goal and three assists and Paul Stastny scored two goals and had his 500th NHL assist for the Jets (14-11-5), who won for the first time in four games (1-2-1). Connor Hellebuyck made 26 saves.
"They were great," Lowry said of the line of Ehlers, Stastny, and Mark Scheifele, who combined for all four Winnipeg goals and nine points. "But I think the big thing is when you have a big game, you need everybody going. But they took over the game. They played at both ends. They defended real well, and because of that they had a lot of opportunity in the offensive zone."

Jordan Binnington made 30 saves in his first start since Nov. 30 for the Blues (17-9-5), whose point streak ends at seven games (5-0-2). Binnington missed seven games in COVID-19 protocol then served as backup to Charlie Lindgren in a 4-1 win against the Dallas Stars on Friday.
"[Binnington] is the heart and soul of our team and our best player by a mile," Blues captain Ryan O'Reilly said. "What he's done for us and what he continues to do it amazing. Our goaltending has been outstanding all year, and a lot of different guys have been a part of that. It's definitely been a staple of our hockey here."
Ehlers gave the Jets a 1-0 lead at 4:40 of the second period.
"We read off each other really well and we did that from Game 1 we played together," Ehlers said of his new linemates following their second game together. "[Stastny] is the smartest player I've ever played with … And with [Scheifele] up the middle, the speed that he has, he's also a guy who makes incredible passes. I just think we're using our strengths and it's working really well right now and we've got to continue."
Vladimir Tarasenko tied it 1-1 at 13:47 of the second, scoring off an Ivan Barbashev cross-ice pass on a 2-on-3 rush.
Scheifele scored on a wrist shot from the high slot to make it 2-1 Jets at 16:47 of the second.
"A couple mistakes cost us, but the effort was great," Blues coach Craig Berube said "The competitiveness, it was a highly competitive game. Like I said, you've got to limit mistakes in the game and that's part of the game."

Stastny extended it to 3-1 at 4:40 of the third period.
"I think the third goal, [Binnington] probably wants it back," Berube said. "But he made a lot of big saves."
Niko Mikkola scored shorthanded to cut it to 3-2 at 14:28 of the third before Stastny made it 4-2 at 14:44 with a power-play goal.
"It was a big game, it was a big win for us," Stastny said. "It was something we needed, big time confidence-wise for the morale and everything. It's nice that Dave got his first win as well."
NOTES: Ehlers left the game briefly in the first period after being boarded by Logan Brown. … Defenseman Tory Krug played in his 600th NHL game, and 77th with the Blues. Krug played 523 games with the Boston Bruins through nine seasons. … Tarasenko has 10 points (five goals, five assists) in his past seven games. … The Blues allowed a power-play goal for the first time in eight games (18-for-19). … Jets forward Kristian Reichel had 4:27 of ice time in his NHL debut.