Alexis Lafreniere has goal, assist to lead Rangers to a 6-3 victory over Jets

By Canadian Press on March 12, 2026.

WINNIPEG — Alexis Lafreniere had a goal and an assist to lead the New York Rangers to a 6-3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night.

Noah Laba, with an empty-net goal, Adam Edstrom, Gabe Perreault, Tye Kartye and Adam Fox also scored for New York (27-30-8). Igor Shersterkin stopped 24 shots.

Gabriel Vilardi, Kyle Connor and Isak Rosen replied for Winnipeg (26-28-10). Connor Hellebuyck made 11 saves before only 13,763 fans at Canada Life Centre.

The Jets are now 3-2 on their current eight-game homestand.

The Rangers scored goals 4:11 apart in the third period to take a 4-3 lead. Adam Edstrom beat Hellebuyck from in front at 11:08.

Perreault gave New York a 4-3 lead when he got to the puck in front of the crease and shovelled it past Hellebuyck at 6:57.

Vilardi made it 3-3 about three minutes after New York had taken the lead. He pounced on an Adam Lowry rebound, then backhanded the puck past Shesterkin.

New York took a 3-2 lead early in the third. Kartye deflected a pass from Matthew Robertson past Hellebuyck just 1:15 into the frame.

Connor had tied the score 2-2 late in the second on a brilliant individual effort. He took a pass from Mark Schiefele, then beat Fox and deked Shesterkin before lifting the puck over the Rangers netminder.

Lafreniere had given New York a 2-1 lead when he deflected a point shot from Will Borgen past Hellebuyck. It was his sixth goal in his past five games and ninth in 10 outings.

Recently-acquired forward Rosen tied it 1-1 early in the second with his first goal as a Jet. Rosen deflected a shot from the point by defenceman Jacob Bryson — another trade-deadline acquisition — past Shesterkin.

The Rangers opened the scoring just 68 seconds into the game. Only nine seconds after Winnipeg’s Gabe Vilardi took a hooking penalty, Fox blasted a slapshot from the blueline that beat Hellebuyck over his right shoulder.

Shesterkin stopped Jonathan Toews on a breakaway about two minutes after the opening goal.

It was the 700th NHL career game for Jets defenceman Dylan DeMelo.

It was the 500th game for New York defenceman Vladislav Gavrikov.

Takeaways

Jets: They kept rebounding after the Rangers took one-goal leads but failed to cover players in front and paid the price.

Rangers: They led 1-0, 2-1, 3-2 and 4-3 as every time Winnipeg tied the score, New York re-took the lead, taking advantage of getting players in front of the net.

Key moment

Edstrom sunk Winnipeg’s dwindling playoff hopes when he gave New York a 5-3 lead at 11:08 of the third period.

Key stat

The Rangers scored five goals on only 16 shots.

Up next

Jets: Host the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday afternoon.

Rangers: Face the Wild in Minnesota on Saturday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Mar. 12, 2026.

Jim Bender, The Canadian Press