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WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Kyle Connor had a goal and two assists and the Winnpeg Jets beat the St. Louis Blues 5-3 on Wednesday night to take a 3-2 lead in their best-of-seven first-round playoff series.
The teams play Game 6 on Friday in St. Louis, where the Blues won the two previous games while extending their home record to 14 consecutive victories.
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The Jets were without star centre Mark Scheifele after the first period after he was crushed into the boards by Brayden Schenn early in the opening period.
Vladislav Namestnikov, who replaced Scheifele on the top line, had a goal and an assist. Nino Niederreiter also had a goal and assist. Dylan DeMelo and Adam Lowry had goals while Mason Appleton had three assists.
Connor Hellebuyck made 16 saves for Winnipeg, which had top-line winger Gabriel Vilardi back in action after missing 15 games with an upper-body injury.
Nathan Walker scored twice and rookie Jimmy Snuggerud also had a goal for the Blues. Jordan Binnington stopped 21 shots.
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After being outscored 12-3 in two losses in St. Louis, the Jets jumped to a 1-0 lead 1:23 into the first period.
Scheifele sent the puck from behind the net out to Connor, who snapped it past Binnington.
The Blues responded when Walker stayed in front of Hellebuyck and tipped in a point shot from Colton Parayko at 3:42.
St. Louis defenseman Cam Fowler also picked up an assist, extending his point streak to five games with one goal and eight assists.
Winnipeg got the game’s first power play after Schenn crushed Scheifele into the boards. He was called for interference and then roughing after Jets forward Brandon Tanev defended his teammate.
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Twenty-seven seconds after Schenn’s extra penalty expired, Niederreiter went net front and tipped in Dylan Samberg's shot at 8:39.
Both teams took four penalties, and had 17 hits each, as the temperatures rose during the opening period.
After the Jets only got one shot on goal in their second power play, Snuggerud scored his second goal of the playoffs with a low shot that went between Hellebuyck’s left pad and the post at 6:06.
DeMelo scored Winnipeg’s first second-period goal of the series when his point shot went off the back of Parayko and into the net at 11:05.
Connor sent a backhand pass across the front of the net to a rushing Namestnikov, who made it 4-2 with 1:09 remaining in the second.
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
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