Connor Hellebuyck stops 26 shots as Jets edge Sabres

Connor Hellebuyck made 26 saves to help the Winnipeg Jets to a 3-2 win against the visiting Buffalo Sabres on Friday.

With the win, Hellebuyck tied Jimmy Howard for eighth place on the NHL's all-time list among U.S.-born goaltenders.

Nino Niederreiter and Vladislav Namestnikov each had two assists for the Jets.

Alex Tuch and JJ Peterka scored, and Eric Comrie made 15 saves for the Sabres, who have lost three in a row for the first time this season.

Cole Perfetti scored for a fifth straight game to put Winnipeg ahead 1-0 at 2:12 of the second period. Namestnikov took a long feed from Neal Pionk across the offensive blue line before sending a short drop pass for Perfetti, who carried it to the high slot and beat Comrie stick side.

He became just the second player in franchise history to record a five-game goal streak at age 21 or younger after Patrik Laine.

Mason Appleton pushed it to 2-0 at 4:33. Adam Lowry got a piece of a pass by Pionk but couldn't corral it and it bounced to Niederreiter, who quickly dished to Appleton streaking in on the far side for the tap-in.

Tuch responded for the Sabres 23 seconds later. Jeff Skinner's shot attempt from the left circle hit the stick of Jets defenseman Brenden Dillon and Hellebuyck poked at the loose puck to deflect it away, but Tuch was there to collect it in the slot and cut it to 2-1.

Nikolaj Ehlers made it 3-1 at 8:12 when he sent a floater from the point toward the net that appeared to deflect off the hand of Buffalo defenseman Owen Power past the glove of Comrie.

Peterka brought the visitors to within one at 1:00 of the third period. Rasmus Dahlin sent a stretch pass to the winger for a breakaway at the Jets' blue line. Peterka's initial shot was stopped but he quickly got his stick on the rebound to narrow it to 3-2.

Dahlin's assist was the 245th of his NHL career, tying him with Rasmus Ristolainen for sixth most among defensemen in Sabres history.

—Field Level Media