Mercer, Connor each score twice to lift Jets to an emotional 4-2 win over Devils

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Dawson Mercer and Kyle Connor each scored twice to lead the Winnipeg Jets to an emotional 4-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night.

The game marked the return of

former Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck to Winnipeg for the first time since his trade to the Devils, although he did not play. Instead, Jake Allen started in net and stopped 21 shots for New Jersey.

Former Devils netminder Nico Daws made 19 saves for Winnipeg.

Cody Glass and Jesper Bratt scored for the Devils.

The victory extended Winnipeg’s win streak to four games, and halted New Jersey’s at five games.

After Mercer gave the Jets a 3-2 lead on the power play at 11:58 of the third period, Connor sealed the outcome with an unassisted empty-net goal.

The Devils, who trailed 2-0 after the first period, tied the game in the second period with a pair of goals 44 seconds apart. Bratt scored at 1:14 on a setup from Arseny Gritsyuk from behind the net. Jack Hughes also assisted to extend his point streak to six games.

Glass tied the game at 1:58 when he deflected Jonathan Kovacevic’s shot past Daws.

Connor scored during a two-man advantage at 15:06 of the first period when he deflected Cole Perfetti’s pass past Allen. Mark Scheifele also assisted, moving him into a second-place tie with Dale Hawerchuk in assists in franchise history with 550.

Mercer opened the scoring at 7:54 when his snap shot from the faceoff circle beat Allen.

The Jets came out energized by the crowd booing and taunting Hellebuyck to express their anger and jumped to a 2-0 lead.

It took the Devils 13 minutes before they got a shot on net in the third period.

Up next

Devils: Host the Washington Capitals on Thursday night.

Jets: At the Dallas Stars on Thursday night.

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