The Winnipeg Jets' Cody Eakin is checked by the Arizona Coyotes' Niklas Hjalmarsson during first-period NHL action in Winnipeg on Monday.Nikolaj Ehlers had a goal and two assists to lead the Winnipeg Jets to a 4-2 victory over the Arizona Coyotes in a critical Western Conference contest on Monday night.
The victory moves the Jets to 78 points, four ahead of Arizona and one above the West’s wild-card line.Mark Scheifele, with an empty-netter and defenceman Tucker Poolman also scored for Winnipeg.Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck made 36 saves while Kuemper had 30. After once trailing 2-0, Poolman knotted the score late in the second period when pounced on Eakin’s rebound, with Ehlers also assisting.
The Coyotes jumped to a 2-0 lead late in the first period. With just 1.2 seconds on the clock, Schmaltz pounced on a Phil Kessel rebound and beat Hellebuyck with his second goal of the game.After taking a pass from Kessel, Schmaltz opened the scoring when he skated around Neil Pionk and beat Hellebuyck with a high shot at the 15:50 mark of the first.