WINNIPEG – The Winnipeg Jets saw their perfect start to the season end at the hands of the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs, losing 6-4 on Monday night. The Jets saw their winning streak end at 16 games dating back to last season and just missed tying Pittsburgh’s record of 17. Winnipeg is now winless in its last six games against Toronto. Kyle Connor had a four-point night and is one point shy of 500. Mark Scheifele (1G, 1A and Josh Morrissey (3A) also had multi-point nights and Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves and lost for the first time this season The Jets will travel to Detroit to begin a two-game road trip on Wednesday.

SLOW START

For the fifth consecutive game, the Jets allowed the first goal of the game. Toronto got a power play early on and even though they didn’t score, it gave them a lot of momentum and they dominated the first period. The Leafs opened the scoring at 11:56 when Max Pacioretty slipped a pass across the crease and John Tavares had a wide-open net to beat Connor Hellebuyck. The Leafs would extend their lead with 2:13 left in the first, William Nylander was wide open in the low slot and he beat Hellebuyck to the high blocker side. Toronto outshot Winnipeg 19-6.

“It was a tough game for us. Obviously we were down, four down with almost two periods to play, and we felt like we did a good job fighting back,” Josh Morrissey said.

“Making a 4-2, to get our legs moving, and then obviously, leaving another one. And we never stopped all night and we’re 8-1 for a reason.”

CONNOR SHOW

Trailing 4-0 in the second period, the Jets regained momentum thanks to their lethal power play which ranked them first in the NHL with 10 for 23 (43.5%). The power play struck at 6:19, Mark Scheifele sent a perfect pass to Kyle Connor and the team’s leading scorer beat Anthony Stolarz on the short side to put Winnipeg on the board. Then, on the Jets’ third power play of the period, Connor scored for the second time at 11:225. The 27-year-old received another perfect pass, this time from Josh Morrissey and Connor’s shot went under Stolarz to make it 4-2. Connor would add two assists to reach 499 for his career.

“I think we really focused on an offensive mindset, with a lot of pucks on net,” Kyle Connor said of the power play.

“Don’t pass. And, you know, you have a side lane change. You have a little ice in front, you know, put pucks on net. I thought we were very direct tonight.”