Jets cruise past Maple Leafs
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Winnipeg, MB (SportsNetwork.com) - Bryan Little registered one goal and two assists as the Winnipeg Jets easily took down the Toronto Maple Leafs, 5-1, on Saturday night.
Winnipeg used five different goal scorers behind Michael Hutchinson, who made 20 saves to pick up the win. Dustin Byfuglien, Ben Chiarot, T.J. Galiardi and Matt Halischuk all lit the lamp as the Jets rebounded from back-to-back regulation losses to the Wild and Islanders.
James Reimer gave Jonathan Bernier a breather and was peppered with 40 shots. He allowed all five goals as Toronto finished its disappointing seven-game road trip with a 2-5-0 record.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Maybe we were a little tired, but I don't want to give that as an excuse," Reimer said. "We're professionals, and we have to find ways to win these games."
A scoreless opening period gave way to a three-goal barrage in a 3:40 span early in the second.
Mike Santorelli recorded Toronto's only goal 2:19 into the frame when he batted in James van Riemsdyk's cross-ice pass into the back of the net.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Galiardi scored 1:10 later when Byfuglien created a turnover in front of Toronto's net, and Halischuk added one off a deflection at the 5:59 mark.
Byfuglien made it a two-goal game on a one-timer of a Blake Wheeler pass at the midway point of the second.
"Just a dominant force in all aspects of the game," Jets head coach Paul Maurice said of Byfuglien's performance.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Little put one in during a power play 3:37 into the third, and Chiarot, playing in his 14th career game, netted his first goal off a faceoff to cap the rout.
Game Notes
Hutchinson improved to 10-3-2 this season ... Winnipeg has won five straight meetings ... Jets forward Andrew Ladd recorded two assists ... Winnipeg went 1-for-5 while Toronto went 0-for-4 with the man advantage ... Byfuglien and Chiarot were both plus-4.