Connor scores 51 seconds into OT to lift Jets past Wild

WINNIPEG -- Kyle Connor scored 51 seconds into overtime for the Winnipeg Jets in their third straight win to start the season, 2-1 against the Minnesota Wild at Canada Life Centre on Sunday.

“There’s no give-up, no quit in this group,” Connor said. “No matter what it is, we’re sticking to the same game plan we’re calling. We’re down 1-0 last game to Chicago (2-1 OT win Friday). We knew it was coming. Some nights it goes our way. We’re able to find one with one minute to go (in the first period), we’re able to get one there at the end and catch teams not being ready, too.”

Connor’s snap shot from the right circle came on the power play after Wild defenseman Zach Bogosian took a holding the stick penalty with six seconds remaining in the third period.

"You saw it at the end, not many guys can stand still and put that shot like he does,” Winnipeg coach Scott Arniel said. “He’s a guy that shoots from all angles, all places. He did it the other night, actually, he had a couple off the mask, a couple off the shoulder. His release is so good that you want him to do that. You don’t want him not to take his shots. When he’s on, he’s finding holes, he’s finding places on the ice so he can get that shot away.”

Mark Scheifele had a goal and an assist for the Jets (3-0-0), and Connor Hellebuyck made 26 saves.

“I’m very thankful for that guy,” Scheifele said of his linemate Connor. “He’s tremendous. He’s an amazing player. That shot was absolutely phenomenal. I am very thankful for KC, that’s for sure.”

Jake Middleton scored for the Wild (1-0-2), who have lost two straight but gained a point in each after a 5-4 shootout loss to the Seattle Kraken on Saturday. Filip Gustavsson made 33 saves.

“[Gustavsson] was unbelievable. He stood on his head,” Middleton said. “And I feel horrible for him, I made a poor decision. With 15 seconds left, I change and I put my partner coming on the ice in a bad spot and we’re down a man going into OT. Gus deserves a better outcome than that. He stood on his head for us all game.”

Middleton gave Minnesota a 1-0 lead at 4:06 of the first period with a wrist shot from the right point that beat a screened Hellebuyck stick side.

“I thought that the competitive nature of the group, the battle in a fatigue-state, I’ve got a lot of time for,” Minnesota coach John Hynes said. “I told the team it’s about a culture and a mindset, mental toughness and physical toughness, I thought we had that tonight, and at a high level. Coming in, we knew it was going to be a hard road game.”

Scheifele extended his goal streak to three games (four goals, two assists) when he tied it 1-1 with two seconds remaining in the first with a one-timer from the top of the right circle directly off a face-off win. The goal came during a 6-on-5 man-advantage with Hellebuyck on the bench for an extra attacker for the offensive-zone face-off.

“We played it exactly how we wanted to, actually,” Wild defenseman Brock Faber said. “A perfect face-off and a perfect shot, really. It’s unfortunate, and it’s almost like when two perfect plays like that happen back-to-back, it’s almost undefendable. It’s unfortunate, it’s a huge momentum swing. Obviously those goals you can’t afford to give up, but it’s a 1-1 game going into the second, that’s how we looked at it. I think all in all we played it the right way, the puck just found its way into the back of the net.”

NOTES: Scheifele skated in his 800th NHL game. … Wild forward Joel Eriksson Ek (broken nose) and defenseman Jared Spurgeon (lower body) did not travel to Winnipeg after each played in Seattle on Saturday and are listed as day to day. Hynes said Eriksson Ek is expected to be available against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday. … The Jets are 3-0-0 to start a season for the first time in franchise history. They have won five straight games against Minnesota, their longest win streak against the Wild in franchise history. … Hellebuyck has allowed just two goals in 180:54 through three starts this season.