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ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) Thomas Vanek scored twice during a four-goal frenzy in the second period by the Minnesota Wild on their way to a 5-3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night.
Nino Niederreiter scored first for Minnesota, and Erik Haula and Chris Porter supplemented Vanek's outburst with goals in the second period as Winnipeg pulled goalie Ondrej Pavelec after falling behind by three. Pavelec stopped only eight of the 12 shots on net against him.
Bryan Little scored twice and Blake Wheeler added a power-play goal to stop a special-teams skid, but the Jets started a four-game road trip through the rugged Central Division in rough fashion.
Devan Dubnyk made 25 saves for his NHL-leading ninth victory for the Wild, who improved to 7-1 at home.
With the Central Division stacked again and room for only five teams to make the playoffs in this post-realignment system, even these November games are critical for rivals like the Jets and Wild.
Without spark plug and scoring leader Zach Parise for at least their upcoming four-game road trip due to a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee, the Wild especially need their forwards with 30-goal seasons past to produce. Jason Pominville still hasn't scored in 14 games, but Vanek has six goals after struggling through his first season with Minnesota.
Vanek's first goal was all power, a breakaway slap shot off a pass from Christian Folin that helped him speed past Jets defensemen Mark Stuart and Paul Postma.
Just 89 seconds later, and 11 seconds into a Jets power play, Haula broke loose on another Jets breakdown and sent the puck into the upper corner of the net on Pavelec's blocker side, the same spot Vanek used.
Then came the finesse score by Vanek, who faked a shot from the left wing and lifted his stick over Postma in one slick motion to snag the puck and snap it past Pavelec.
Michael Hutchinson relieved Pavelec and gave up Porter's tip-in a few minutes later, the first by Porter with the Wild.
Little scored his team-leading eighth goal with 7:20 left, knocking in his own rebound to give the Jets some late hope, but there wasn't enough time left to overcome those defensive lapses earlier in the game.
Wheeler's goal was the first by the Jets on the power play in five games, a skid of 13 straight opportunities without one.
NOTES: Mikko Koivu, who notched his 10th assist with the behind-the-net setup of Niederreiter's goal, has a point in all but two games this season. ... This was Vanek's third multigoal game with the Wild, his first this season. ... Jets center Andrew Copp returned to the lineup after a four-game absence due to an upper-body injury. ... Wild right wing Kurtis Gabriel made his NHL debut and fought with Chris Thorburn, drawing a major penalty for each player. ... Porter's last goal was Dec. 8, 2014, for St. Louis.
