Kyle Connor eclipses 500-point plateau as Jets crush Red Wings

Field Level Media|published: Wed 30th October, 22:27 2024

Oct 30, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Winnipeg Jets left wing Kyle Connor (81) scores a goal as Detroit Red Wings goaltender Alex Lyon (34) tends the net during the first period at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-Imagn Images

Kyle Connor notched three first-period points while surpassing the 500-point mark for his career as the visiting Winnipeg Jets recovered from their first loss by downing the Detroit Red Wings 6-2 on Wednesday.

Neal Pionk scored twice while Gabriel Vilardi had a goal and an assist. Nino Niederreiter and Colin Miller also scored for the Jets. Winnipeg had its 16-game regular-season win streak dating back to last season snapped in a 6-4 loss to Toronto on Monday.

Connor Hellebuyck made 19 saves for the visitors.

Dylan Larkin and Alex DeBrincat had power-play goals for Detroit, which has lost three straight. Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider added two assists apiece, while Alex Lyon stopped 23 shots.

Connor entered the game with 499 points and needed just 2:48 to reach his milestone. He passed the puck across the slot to Vilardi, who beat Lyon on the glove side to open the scoring.

Winnipeg made it 2-0 at 4:02 of the period. Connor took a shot that fluttered through traffic. Lyon made a pad save but Pionk jumped on the rebound to notch his first goal of the game.

Connor scored his ninth goal of the season with 4:16 remaining in the period. He started the play from his own zone, skating to center ice and dishing the puck to Vilardi. Connor skated past Seider as Vilardi returned the puck to him. His backhander beat Lyon for a 3-0 lead and extended his point streak to 10 games.

The Wings broke through at 8:13 of the second period on a power play. With Dylan Samberg in the penalty box for interference, Larkin fired a shot from just outside the left circle past Hellebuyck.

Detroit pulled within one after Pionk was penalized for hooking. Raymond took a shot from the edge of the left circle and DeBrincat tipped it in for his fifth goal this season.

Winnipeg got some breathing room 10 seconds in the third. Detroit defenseman Jeff Petry lost the puck in his own zone. Niederreiter swatted at the puck and it deflected off the skate on Wings defender Ben Chiarot and into the net.

Pionk later scored on a power play and Miller added Winnipeg's sixth goal midway through the period.

--Field Level Media

Latest