Laine continues pace, scores twice as Jets topple Stars

When Patrik Laine was drafted by the Jets this summer, he knew the team's power play had finished at the bottom of the NHL last season.

The 18-year-old forward wanted to help — and he has in a big way.

Laine scored twice on the power play Thursday as the Jets defeated the Dallas Stars 4-1.

"When I came here, they had the worst power play last year so I thought that I could bring something to the power play," Laine said.

"And now I've got a couple goals on the power play. Those are important goals for these games. I'm just trying to help my team to win."

Laine has accounted for four of the five power-play goals Winnipeg has scored through seven games.

His pair of goals gives him six, tying him for the league lead with a number of players, including fellow rookie Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

"We've played only seven games, but it's nice that I've got those goals and helped my team to win with those games," said Laine, who also has two assists.

Jets rookie forward Kyle Connor scored his first NHL goal and defenceman Tyler Myers got his team on the scoreboard 15 seconds into the first period.

"Nicky [Ehlers] made a great pass over and I just tried to get it upstairs," Connor's said of the 2-on-1 that led to his game-winning goal.

"It's definitely a special feeling. You work so hard to get to this point and to get rewarded like that feels good."

Connor was a healthy scratch for the first time for Winnipeg's 3-2 loss to Dallas on Tuesday.

The Jets had a 3-0 lead heading into the third before Stars forward Tyler Seguin scored his fourth goal of the season 33 seconds into the period late on the power play.

"I'm not going to sit here and say they were completely out-skating us or completely out-battling us," Seguin said.

"I thought we could have made some smarter choices. But we lost. We're going to move on and get ready for Saturday night [against Minnesota]."

Lengthy lead a first

The Jets (3-4-0) had gone into the game only holding a lead for a total 17:02 in their first six games.

Laine's first goal of the game at 4:30 of the second period made it 3-0.

His goal marked the first time this season Winnipeg held a three-goal lead, and the first time the Jets hadn't trailed going into the third period.

Goalie Connor Hellebuyck liked the change.

"It's a good feeling," said Hellebuyck, who made 38 saves for Winnipeg.

"We've been playing the right way and we finally put some (goals) in early and I think it's just because of the way we've been playing. We were in those other games, too, but tonight we got it."

Antti Niemi stopped 32 shots for Dallas (3-3-1).

Winnipeg was 2 for 7 on the power play and Dallas went 1 for 6.

Stars head coach Lindy Ruff said special teams was the difference.

"Five-on-five, we probably had the edge in the chances, but special teams, they generated a lot of energy and a couple goals," Ruff said.

"We got off to a tough start with that shot going in, but I thought our work ethic inside the game was good."

Jets coach Paul Maurice said Laine doesn't show much emotion when he scores because the sniper is used to it.

"He's a spectacular shooter," Maurice said. "He's a really humble person. It's important to him that he portrays himself like that.

"He's probably not going to be throwing a parade for himself after he scores a couple of goals. He has that expectation."

Laine scored his second power-play goal of the game with six seconds left in a two-man advantage that made it 4-1 at 10:17.

The Jets head to Colorado for a game Friday against the Avalanche.