New York Rangers centre J.T. Miller (10) celebrates after scoring a goal against the Winnipeg Jets during the second period at Madison Square Garden in New York on Nov. 6, 2016.Danny Wild
J.T. Miller, Jesper Fast and Pavel Buchnevich scored 4:04 apart late in the second period to lead the New York Rangers over the Winnipeg Jets 5-2 on Sunday night for their fifth straight victory.
Kevin Hayes and Mats Zuccarello also scored, Kevin Klein and Brandon Pirri had two assists and Henrik Lundqvist stopped 24 shots as New York won for the eighth time in nine games. The Rangers, who lead the NHL with 55 goals and 4.23 per game, have scored at least five in each game of their winning streak.
Patrik Laine and Mark Scheifele scored for Winnipeg, which has lost four of its last five (1-3-1). Connor Hellebuyck started and gave up four goals on 16 shots before he was replaced late in the second period by Michael Hutchinson, who finished with one save.
After a scoreless first half of the second period in which Winnipeg had a 4-1 advantage on shots, the Rangers outscored the Jets 4-1 over the final 10 minutes.
Zuccarello took a pass from Chris Kreider and fired a wrist shot from the left faceoff circle past Hellebuyck for his sixth to put the Rangers up 2-1 just past the midpoint of the period.
Scheifele tied it 2 minutes later as he pounced on a puck sitting in front of an open net after a shot by Paul Postma was stopped by Lundqvist. It was Scheifele's seventh of the season.
Miller skated up along the right side and fired a wrist shot over Hellebuyck's right shoulder for his fifth, putting the Rangers up 3-2 with 6:59 remaining.
Fast gave New York a two-goal lead with 3:36 left as he tipped a point shot by Klein from the right faceoff circle for his second goal. That chased Hellebuyck and brought on Hutchinson.
Buchnevich made it 5-2 just 41 seconds later as he skated in from the right side, slid the puck from his backhand across to the left side as he crossed in front of Hutchinson and fired it over the sprawled goalie. It was Buchnevich's second of the season and second in two games.
The Jets controlled play in the scoreless third period, out-shooting the Rangers 9-1, but couldn't get anything past Lundqvist.
Hayes got the Rangers off to a fast start with his sixth of the season 2:12 into the game. Skating with an extra attacker on a delayed penalty, Klein sent a pass across to Hayes at the right point, and Hayes fired a slap shot from inside the blue line past Hellebuyck. That gave Hayes a goal in four straight games.
Laine tied it with 9:15 left in the first, tipping a point shot by Ben Chiarot for the 18-year-old rookie's eighth of the season. It came on Winnipeg's fifth shot of the game.
NOTES: Laine, selected by Winnipeg with the No. 2 overall pick in this year's draft, scored for the second straight game after going without a point in his previous four. ... The Jets had won four of their previous five at Madison Square Garden and fell to 18-10-2 all time at MSG. ... The teams conclude their season series Dec. 8 at Winnipeg. ... Hayes has a point in five straight games (four goals, five assists). ... Brady Skjei had an assist on Hayes' goal, giving him a point in five straight games (six assists).
UP NEXT
Jets: Host Dallas on Tuesday night.
Rangers: Host Vancouver on Tuesday night before heading out on a four-game road trip.