New York Rangers' Chris Kreider (20) scores on Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) during the first period of NHL action in Winnipeg, Sunday, March 6, 2022.FRED GREENSLADE/The Canadian Press
One of the NHL’s top marksmen led the New York Rangers to victory once again.
Forward Chris Kreider added another two goals as New York defeated the Winnipeg Jets 4-1 Sunday night. Kreider is tied for second in the NHL scoring lead.
Mike Zibanejad and Barclay Goodrow also scored for the Rangers (36-15-5), which got 45 saves from Igor Shesterkin. Artemi Panarin and former Jets defenceman Jacob Trouba had two assists apiece for New York.
Nikolaj Ehlers scored the only goal for the Jets (24-22-10) while goalie Connor Hellebuyck stopped 18-of-22 shots.
Kreider scored his second goal — and 38th of the season — after beating Jets defenceman Mike Schmidt to the puck. He then scored on the backhand to give the Rangers a 3-1 margin at 6:21 of the third.
Zibanejad deflected Trouba’s slapshot from the point to increase the lead to 4-1 and put the game away at 9:32.
Ehlers pulled the Jets to within 2-1 with a power-play goal at the 13:34 mark of the second period.
New York took a 2-0 lead into the second period.
Kreider, who was on Hellebuyck’s doorstep, scored on the power play with 2:32 left in the opening 20 minutes. Kreider pounced on the puck that had deflected off a Jets player on an attempted pass from Panarin and slid a back-handed shot past Hellebuyck.
The Rangers opened the scoring early in the first. Goodrow tipped a perfect pass from Trouba past Hellebuyck at 2:01. The Jets goalie had no chance.
Winnipeg scored once on six power-play opportunities. The Rangers scored on one of two man advantages.
It was the third of a four-game homestand for the Jets, who play host to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday.
It was the first of a four-game road trip for the Rangers, who face the Wild in Minnesota on Tuesday.