Jets split back-to-back with Flames, play again Thursday

WINNIPEG-- The Winnipeg Jets scored three first-period goals in a 3-2 win against the Calgary Flames at Bell MTS Place on Tuesday.

Trevor Lewis and Derek Forbort each scored his first goal with the Jets (6-3-1), and Laurent Brossoit made 29 saves, 15 in the third period.
"Obviously [Brossoit] was huge back there for us," Lewis said. "He made some great stops, but we also made it tough for them to get into the zone ... getting in lanes and blocking shots is huge and getting those clears when we can."
Johnny Gaudreau had an assist to extend his point streak to nine games, and Matthew Tkachuk scored two goals for the Flames (4-4-1). David Rittich made 25 saves in his second loss in as many starts this season.
The Flames won 4-3 in a shootout Monday, and the teams play again here Thursday.
"Me and (Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck) have gotten close over our stint here, and he gets really intense, and yesterday was one of those games he really wanted to win for us," Brossoit said. "It was important we as a team battled back and not lose two in a row."

The Jets and Flames combined for three goals in a span of 1:05 in the first period. Lewis scored shorthanded to make it 1-0 at 6:40, Forbort made it 2-0 at 7:10, and Tkachuk made it 2-1 at 7:45.
"You don't want to get down ever in games," Calgary captain Mark Giordano said. "We just gave them too many opportunities off the rush. Obviously when a team scores a shorthanded goal they got some momentum. I think they scored the next shift."
Nikolaj Ehlers scored his sixth goal in his past eight games to give the Jets a 3-1 lead at 13:32.

"When they scored, we came back and scored again," Lewis said. "Any time they got momentum, I thought we did a good job of getting it back. The penalty kill (4-for-4) was big tonight and it was definitely a big win."
Tkachuk made it 3-2 at 10:53 of the third period with an assist from Gaudreau.
"I think our starts have to the better in general," Calgary forward Derek Ryan said. "I don't know what exactly the solution is there besides the cliches of being more prepared and be ready to start right away. We've got to find our legs earlier and be more mentally prepared."
Lewis, a forward, signed with Winnipeg off a professional tryout on Jan. 13, one day before the season opener, and Forbort, a defenseman, signed as a free agent in October.
"It's just a fun team to play on," Forbort said. "A fun group to come to the rink every day to play with. It's been a blast going out there and competing with them."
Forbort redirected a puck with his glove from the goal line in the third period, one of 24 blocked shots for the Jets.
"I don't know exactly where it was going to land, I just knew it wasn't going to be in a good spot no matter what," he said. "It happens pretty quick, and you kind of swat it to get it out of there. I felt like I was playing volleyball back in California."
The Flames host the Oilers on Saturday before Winnipeg plays at Calgary for its fourth straight game against the Flames on Feb. 9.
"The whole game I would say was one of our more impressive and effortful games on the defensive side of things," Brossoit said. "Our bottom two lines have been outstanding for us in the last few games. That's kind of our identity. We're a pretty deep team now and we showed that."
NOTES: Gaudreau has scored 11 points (six goals, five assists) on his season-opening point streak. It the longest opening streak by a Flames player since 2013-14, when Jiri Hudler scored 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in Calgary's first nine games. ... Flames forward Elias Lindholm has six assists on a four-game point streak.