Ladd scores 2 goals, Jets top Lightning in SO

[April 17, 2013]  WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) -- Andrew Ladd scored twice in regulation and added the decisive goal in a shootout as the Winnipeg Jets stayed in the thick of the playoff hunt with a 4-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night.

Ladd also earned an assist, and defenseman Zach Bogosian had a pair of assists. Blake Wheeler scored once and added two assists for Winnipeg (22-19-2), which is on a season-high, four-game winning streak.

The Jets are tied in points with the eighth-place New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Winnipeg has five games remaining, one fewer than New York.

Martin St. Louis, Pierre-Cedric Labrie and Steven Stamkos -- with his 27th goal -- scored for Tampa Bay (17-22-4).

Mike Santorelli also beat Lightning goalie Ben Bishop in the shootout. No Tampa Bay skaters scored on Ondrej Pavelec.

Winnipeg held a 3-1 lead heading into the third period, but Labrie scored after a scramble in front following a rebound at 5:19. Stamkos beat Pavelec on the stick side at 11:17.

The Jets outshot the Lightning 4-2 in overtime.

Pavelec made 24 saves, and Bishop stopped 32 shots.

Winnipeg's used a four-day break -- its longest of the season -- to jump out to a fast start.

After Tampa Bay defenseman Eric Brewer turned over the puck near center ice, Wheeler carried it up the ice and made a drop pass to Ladd inside the blue line.

Ladd skated toward Bishop and fired a low shot between his pads to give the Jets a 1-0 lead at 1:23.

A Winnipeg turnover led to the tying goal at 10:27.

Behind Winnipeg's net with the puck, Jets defenseman Ron Hainsey sent a backhand pass that missed his teammate and went right to St. Louis' stick in the left circle. A quick shot beat Pavelec.

Wheeler put the Jets ahead 2-1 at 8:37 of the second period.

After getting a pass from Ladd to the left of the net, Wheeler skated slowly across the front of the net and then shot the puck back from a sharp angle over Bishop for his 16th goal.

Winnipeg looked as though it scored again about four minutes later on a long shot from defenseman Grant Clitsome, but the referee waved off the goal because Ladd was interfering with Bishop.

Ladd made up for it late in the period as the Jets had 2 seconds left on a power play when he beat a partially screened Bishop at 17:54 with a wrist shot.

Ladd is on a five-game point streak with four goals and five assists.

Winnipeg outshot the Lightning 24-15 after two periods, but the Lightning struck twice in the third to make it 3-3.

NOTES: The Jets have gone five games without allowing a power-play goal at home. ... During its four-game winning streak, Winnipeg has outscored opponents 12-0 in the second period.

[Associated Press]

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