Dawson Mercer scored twice against his former team, including the tiebreaking power-play goal with 8:02 remaining in the third period, and the host Winnipeg Jets recorded a 4-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday in a highly charged environment.
The Jets won their fourth straight following a nine-game skid as their fans spent time derisively chanting at Connor Hellebuyck. The ex-Winnipeg goalie had his trade request granted Oct. 23, when he was dealt to New Jersey for a package that included Mercer.
The Devils announced Sunday night that the three-time Vezina Trophy winner would not play on Tuesday.
Mercer snapped a 2-2 tie during a too-many-men-on-the-ice penalty to New Jersey. He took Alex Iafallo’s no-look pass and sent a one-timer from the bottom of the left circle over goalie Jake Allen’s stick into the uncovered left side of the net.
Mercer scored his second and third goals since changing teams.
Kyle Connor scored a power-play goal in the first period and added an empty-net goal with 58 seconds left. Cole Perfetti contributed two assists for the Jets.
Jesper Bratt and Cody Glass scored in a span of 44 seconds for the Devils to tie the game during the opening two minutes of the second period.
Winnipeg goalie Nico Daws, also acquired in the Hellebuyck deal, made 19 saves for his first win in two starts since the trade.
Allen made 21 saves as New Jersey had its five-game winning streak stopped.
The Jets took the lead 7:54 into the contest. Perfetti passed to Mercer, who moved from the corner to an area above the left circle. After getting past defenseman Dougie Hamilton, he spun around Evan Rodrigues and sent a wrist shot over Allen’s right shoulder inside the post.
In the final seconds of a 5-on-3, Perfetti went to the right side of the crease and made a clean pass to Connor, who scored from a tough angle on a shot from the bottom of the right circle with 4:54 remaining in the opening frame.
The Devils made a one-goal game 74 seconds into the second period. Bratt got a no-look pass from Arseny Gritsyuk from behind the net and beat Connor to a loose puck before sending a shot past Daws from the lower edge of the left circle.
Glass tied it when he used the top of his stick to redirect a pass from Johnathan Kovacevic past Daws.
The Devils were held to four shots on goal in the third period.
