Kreider scores 2 to lead Rangers to 4-1 win over Jets

New York Rangers’ Chris Kreider (20) scores against Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) during the first period of NHL hockey game action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Sunday, March 6, 2022. (Fred Greenslade/The Canadian Press via AP) (FRED GREENSLADE/AP)

WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Chris Kreider scored twice and the New York Rangers beat the Winnipeg Jets 4-1 Sunday night.

Mika Zibanejad and Barclay Goodrow also scored for the Rangers, and Artemi Panarin and Jacob Trouba each had two assists. Igor Shesterkin stopped 45 shots.

Nikolaj Ehlers scored for Winnipeg, and Connor Hellebuyck finished with 18 saves.

Kreider got his second of the night — and 38th of the season — as he beat Jets defenseman Mike Schmidt to the puck and backhanded puck past Hellebuyck to give the Rangers a 3-1 lead at 6:21 of the third. Kreider tied Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl for second in the NHL in scoring, one behind Toronto’s Auston Matthews.

Zibanejad deflected Trouba’s slap shot from the point to increase the lead to 4-1 and put the game away at 9:32.

Kreider, who was on Hellebuyck’s doorstep, scored on the power play with 2:32 left in the first to make it 2-0. It was his league-leading 19th with the man advantage.

The Rangers opened the scoring early in the first as Goodrow tipped a perfect pass from Trouba past Hellebuyck at 2:01.

Ehlers pulled the Jets to with a power-play goal with 6:26 left in the second period.

Winnipeg finished 1 for 6 on the power play. The Rangers were 1 for 2.