Stafford scores twice, Jets beat Wild 5-4

Stafford’s second goal of the second period turned out to be the difference as the Winnipeg Jets held off a late Minnesota comeback and beat the Wild 5-4 on Sunday. “But for us to finish it off the way we did, it’s all good”. Stafford scored on Devan Dubnyk just under 4 minutes later for his team-leading fifth goal this season.

The Jets withstood a furious barrage from the Wild for the last 10 minutes of the game.

Winnipeg Jets’ Andrew Ladd (16) scores as he fires the puck past Minnesota Wild Ryan Suter (20), Jets’ Bryan Little (18), Wild Jared Spurgeon (46) and goaltender Darcy Kuemper (35) during first period NHL hockey action in Winnipeg, Sunday, October 25, 2015.

Right winger Drew Stafford chased Kuemper from the game when he snapped home his fourth of the season from the top of the circle just 51 seconds into the second period.

“We’re just a group that does that”.

The Wild opened the scoring before half of the sold-out crowd was in their seats, when left winger Jason Zucker undressed defenseman Jacob Trouba off the opening face-off and ripped a shot past Jets goaltender Michael Hutchinson at the 10-second mark. At times last night the Jets looked like the Globe Trotters out there and soon after they looked like the Charleston Chiefs, sometimes in the same shift.

The game was tied 72 seconds later.

Yeo said he thought about yanking Kuemper after he allowed three first-period goals, but he figured they were tough shots. Little and Wheeler recorded the assists. Coach Paul Maurice knows and he said as much about the team moving their legs after they had a lead.

Midway through the first, Nikolaj Ehlers raced down the wing on a 2-on-1 and he fired the shot far side on Kuemper for his third goal of the season. The Jets, up 3-1 and badly out-shooting the Wild to the tune of 17-9, were in complete control.

The Wild cut into the lead with a powerplay goal with 5:43 left in the middle frame.

The Wild had opportunities after, but could not get the equalizer past past Hutchinson.

Parise wasn’t about to blame the Wild’s slow start – taking the lead after 10 seconds notwithstanding – on fatigue.

“Stafford has been outstanding all year”, Maurice said. “I’m assured it shouldn’t be a problem, but he won’t touch the ice (Monday), and we’ll make sure that he gets the treatment he needs”.

“When they slow the game down and take the life out of it, it’s hard as the team in the lead to keep that pace and keep your foot on the gas, especially when the score is that high”, Stafford said. The challenge now is that they have to realize there are deficiencies in their approach to the game plan and play. “It’s never over in this league”. Wheeler’s franchise record eight game point streak to start the season surpasses the seven-game streak set by former Atlanta Thrasher Donald Audette in 2000-01 … Winnipeg wraps up the homestand with games against Los Angeles on Tuesday Night and then Chicago on Thursday.