Jets veterans jump on Senators and take preseason win

Daniel Torgersson scored two goals and Kyle Connor had a goal and two assists as the Winnipeg Jets beat the Ottawa Senators 5-3 in the NHL preseason on Tuesday.

Mikey Eyssimont and Ville Heinola also scored for the Jets, who scored three times in the second period.

Connor Hellebuyck stopped 24 shots for Winnipeg.

Tyler Motte and Shane Pinto each had a goal and an assist for the Senators. Cole Reinhardt also scored.

Goaltender Mads Sogaard started for the Sens, stopping eight of the nine shots he faced before being replaced by Kevin Mandolese after 29:48 in goal. Mandolese stopped 11 of 15 shots.

The Senators fielded a roster without core players like goaltender Cam Talbot and forwards Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle.

Winnipeg played most of their regular roster and introduced a potential new top line – Mark Scheifele centered Connor and Nikolaj Ehlers. The three have never played together on the same line.

The game was tied 1-1 after the first period and Winnipeg led 4-3 after the second.

The Jets got on the scoreboard 22 seconds after killing a penalty kick. Connor found Torgersson in the slot and the 20-year-old Swede fired a one-timer past Sogaard at 1:55 into the opening period.

The Senators equalized 40 seconds later when the Jets couldn’t control the puck on their side. Dylan Gambrell picked up the puck and passed it to Reinhardt, who shot high past Hellebuyck at 2:35.

The second period started with a faster pace and the Senators capitalized with some speed.

Pinto picked up the puck and ran with Motte down the ice in a two-on-one. Motte finished by beating Hellebuyck on the tackle side at 7:40 for the 2-1 lead. The pair are expected to form Ottawa’s third line with Mathieu Joseph.

The Jets made it 2-2 at 1:44 p.m. when Eyssimont swung a Connor shot past Mandolese 28 seconds on the power play.

Torgersson quickly added his second of the night at 15:11, followed by Heinola’s power play goal at 19:10.

Pinto made it 4-3 when he scored with 24 seconds left in the middle frame.

Winnipeg regained a two-goal lead when a Connor shot was rebounded by Mandolese at 8:10 of the third.

The Senators had a power play with 2:04 left in the game, but couldn’t score.