The high-scoring Pittsburgh Penguins look to continue their hot start when they host the Winnipeg Jets on Monday night.
After winning their first two games by scores of 7-0 and 6-5 (in overtime), the Penguins will catch the Jets on the second half of a back-to-back.
Winnipeg has split its first two games after a 3-2 road win over the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday.
Kyle Connor had two goals and an assist and Stuart Skinner, signed as a free agent on July 1, made 33 saves to earn his first win for the Jets. Connor’s second goal made it 3-0 early in the second period and Winnipeg held on thanks in large part to Connor’s 56th career three-point game.
Connor has three goals and two assists through two games.
“Through two games, he has just been dominating with the puck,” Jets coach Scott Arniel said of Connor. “But the play I remember is him tracking back to break up a 3-on-2. He does those things on both ends of the ice.”
Cole Perfetti had a goal and two assists for the Jets, who were 3-for-4 on the power play while holding the Red Wings to a 1-for-5 effort.
“I think it is safe to say our special teams played a huge role in that win,” Perfetti said. “The power play got three early in the game, and then the penalty kill did a great job late before they killed the 6-on-5 at the end.”
The Penguins are showing strong special teams play of their own, going 4-for-8 on the power play through two games while their opponents are 0-for-5.
On Saturday against the visiting Montreal Canadians, Pittsburgh squandered a four-goal lead but Tommy Novak’s second goal of the game, coming 1:33 into overtime, gave the Penguins the 6-5 win.
Evgeni Malkin had a goal and two assists, and Arturs Silovs made 20 saves. Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang each had two assists, and Novak added one.
The Penguins led by 5-2 after two periods, but the Canadiens scored three straight goals, including two in the final 1:08 of the third period, to force overtime.
“We found a way,” Penguins coach Dan Muse said. “We got the two points. We got plenty that we can look at now that we know we got to fix, and I’m confident that this group will work to correct those things.
Forward Ben Kindel, who missed the opener due to a lower-body injury, scored on a power play in his season debut.
“Some good, some bad,” said Kindel. “Obviously, the first game coming back here, I felt like it kind of took a little bit to get going. Started making some plays but still some stuff to work on as well.”
Malkin has goals in each of the first two games, becoming the second 40-year-old in NHL history to do so, joining Gordie Howe (1968-69).
Sidney Crosby, 39, has an assist in each of Pittsburgh’s two games.
Last season, the Jets and Penguins split a pair of games. On Nov. 1, Connor had two goals and the Jets won 5-2 in Winnipeg. The Penguins prevailed 5-4 at home in a shootout on March 21. Karlsson scored twice and Rickard Rakell had the shootout winner.
