Jets lead Stars through two periods in Game 2
Published
One strong period separates the Winnipeg Jets from tying their second-round series against the Dallas Stars at one game apiece.
The Jets hold a 3-0 lead over the Stars heading into the third period in Friday's Game 2, getting goals from Gabriel Vilardi, Nikolaj Ehlers and Adam Lowry through the opening 40 minutes.
Vilardi struck first for Winnipeg near the end of a double minor penalty that came on a Tyler Seguin high-stick. Ehlers fired a shot on net that Stars goalie Jake Oettinger turned aside, but Vilardi jumped on a juicy rebound and batted it into the open cage to open the scoring. After killing off a Stars power play, Ehlers doubled the home side's lead, cutting to the net and sliding a cross-ice pass past Oettinger.
The Jets took a two-goal lead into the first intermission and got the only goal of the second on a marker from Lowry, who corralled a point shot off the end boards and slid it into the open net.
Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck has stopped all 16 shots he's faced so far Friday night, compared to Oettinger's 16 saves in 19 chances.
Winnipeg got star defenceman Josh Morrissey back for Friday's matchup after he missed Game 1 Wednesday night with an upper-body injury. The veteran blueliner was injured in Game 7 against the St. Louis Blues, but trended positively toward a return leading up to Game 2.
The Stars won Game 1 of the series 3-2, getting all three goals from star forward Mikko Rantanan and 29 saves from Oettinger in net.
The series will shift to Dallas for Game 3 Sunday evening.