Jets sunk by Ehlers’ winner in loss to Hurricanes

Nikolaj Ehlers scored his first goal of the NHL season to lift the Carolina Hurricanes to a 3-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets at Canada Life Centre on Saturday afternoon.

The former Jet broke a 2-2 tie at 6:43 of the third period, firing a wrister past the glove of Clay Stevenson for a power-play goal.

Mark Jankowski and Jesperi Kotkaniemi also scored for Carolina (7-1-1), which extended its winning steak to seven games. Defenceman Shayne Gostisbehere recorded two assists.

Pyotr Kochetkov made 22 saves in the win, posting victories in all five starts this season.

Mark Scheifele and Alex Iafallo scored for Winnipeg (4-2-2), which lost its first game this season on home ice in regulation time. Clay Stevenson stopped 34 shots.

Jets: Winnipeg held 1-0 and 2-1 leads, before trailing in the third period. The Jets are 1-1 in matinee games this season, with nine more to play. After a three-game point drought to start the year, Scheifele is now riding a five-game point streak (2G, 6A).

Hurricanes: Carolina made the Jets pay on special-teams, scoring both goals on the power play and killing off Winnipeg's lone opportunity with the man-advantage. Jankowski's second-period goal extended his NHL-leading active goal streak to seven consecutive games.

With fewer than 40 seconds remaining, Kochetkov made a pad save on Cole Perfetti, following that up with a save on 18-year-old Viggo Bjorck off the helmet to preserve Carolina's lead.

The Hurricanes have won seven straight games, pacing the NHL with a 7-1-1 record.