Jets defeat Rangers, fastest in NHL history to 15 wins

NEW YORK -- The Winnipeg Jets became the fastest team to 15 wins in NHL history by defeating the New York Rangers in their 16th game of the season, 6-3 at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.

The Jets (15-1-0) reached 15 wins faster than the 2022-23 Boston Bruins, 2007-08 Ottawa Senators, 2006-07 Buffalo Sabres, 1985-86 Philadelphia Flyers and 1929-30 Boston Bruins. They all did it in 17 games, previously the fastest.

"You know, you would never have drawn it up this way," Jets coach Scott Arniel said. "We had talked about it at the start of the year of banking points. We've got a very tough division, a tough Western Conference. We've got to eliminate eight teams to get into the big dance. Yeah, I don't think I quite drew it up this way, but certainly the guys have earned every inch of it."

Kyle Connor had two goals and an assist, Mark Scheifele scored two goals, Neal Pionk had three assists, and Nikolaj Ehlers had two assists. Connor Hellebuyck made 33 saves. Winnipeg has won seven in a row and is 7-0-0 on the road.

"Honestly, we know what we're doing, but we don't take too much stock in it," Connor said. "It's move onto the next one. It's how can we improve? How can we be better? I think that's what has made us successful to this point. Nobody is satisfied. There's still areas we can work on. We've won 15, but I think it speaks to the leadership, not getting comfortable. There's still a lot of season left."

Will Cuylle had a goal and an assist, Artemi Panarin had an assist to extend his home point streak to eight games, and Igor Shesterkin made 27 saves for the Rangers (9-4-1).

However, four of Winnipeg's goals came off Rangers turnovers, including three by Mika Zibanejad.

"There's isolated incidents for everybody where we could have done something different, whether it be puck decisions or whether it be a little bit more responsible when we're pressing in the offensive zone," Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said. "There are definitely situations that we could have done things better offensively. I still think we were on the attack. It's one of those games where you're punching, trying to punch away at them and generate offense and sometimes you've got to cover up and make sure you're not coming back and leaving it the other way. Those incidents, they cost us the game."

Scheifele gave the Jets a 1-0 lead 57 seconds into the first period, scoring from between the circles off a defensive zone turnover by Zibanejad. Josh Morrissey got the puck on the right-wing wall and found Scheifele in front.

"We hunted it, 'J-Mo' jumped in and kept that puck alive," Arniel said. "This league is about pressure. When you're good at it, you can make it hard on the opposition."

Cuylle made it 1-1 at 13:07 by scoring off a rebound of Braden Schneider's point shot.

Gabriel Vilardi's power-play goal at 8:58 of the second period gave the Jets a 2-1 lead.

K'Andre Miller fumbled the puck behind the net, allowing Winnipeg to sustain possession. Pionk sent the puck to the net and Vilardi tipped it down, slipped around Miller, dished to Ehlers on the right side, and got it back for a tap-in power-play goal.

"Some pretty high-end skill there and finish," Connor said. "You rewind 20 seconds before that, you see that type of end but at the same time we're hunting pucks, we're getting stick on puck on their defender. That's always first and foremost on our power play, stay on the puck, try to turn it over, win those battles, get the puck back and make plays like that."

Alexis Lafreniere scored a power-play goal for the Rangers at 12:51 to even it again, at 2-2.

Connor gave the Jets their third one-goal lead, 3-2, at 16:03, scoring off the rush following another Zibanejad turnover.

Scheifele made it 4-2 at 1:08 of the third period, scoring from in front off a pass from Dylan DeMelo seconds after Vilardi took the puck away from Zibanejad.

"It starts in our own zone and you see that tonight," Connor said. "We defend well, the team is going to give us all the chances we need."

Kaapo Kakko scored 32 seconds later to make it 4-3 at 1:40.

Vladislav Namestnikov extended the lead to 5-3 at 13:08, scoring from below the goal line off an end wall rebound from Ehlers' shot.

Connor's empty-net goal at 19:40 made it 6-3.

"I felt like we were chasing pretty much the whole game," Laviolette said. "There were some good things, but you play the top team in the league you want a better result."

NOTES: The Jets have won seven straight road games to start the season, the ninth team in NHL history to do so following the Los Angeles Kings in 2023-24 (11-0-0), Buffalo Sabres in 2006-07 (10-0-0), New Jersey Devils in 2009-10 (9-0-0), Nashville Predators in 2018-19 (8-0-0), Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009-10 (7-0-0), Detroit Red Wings in 2005-06 (7-0-0), Philadelphia Flyers in 1985-86 (7-0-0) and Toronto Maple Leafs in 1940-41 (7-0-0). … Vilardi and Scheifele each extended his point streak to eight games. … Connor and Pionk each extended his road point streak to seven games. ...The Jets claimed goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen off waivers and loaned him to the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League. They also placed defenseman Logan Stanley on injured reserve retroactive to Nov. 9.