WINNIPEG, Manitoba, April 11 (UPI) -- Andrew Ladd started a streak of five consecutive goals to finish the game Thursday, a surge that brought Winnipeg a 7-2 victory over Florida.
The Jets won their third in a row and moved into a tie with the New York Rangers for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Rangers, however, hold the tiebreak edge since they have two games in hand on the Jets.
Evander Kane gave Winnipeg a 2-1 lead with the first of his two goals, but Tomas Fleischmann tied it for the Panthers by producing the game's fourth score in the opening 6:30.
It was all Winnipeg after that with Ladd tipping in a shot to give the Jets a 3-2 advantage at the end of the first period.
Grant Clitsome, Dustin Byfuglien and Kane all scored in the second period and Chris Thorburn added a goal in the third.
Florida has the lowest point total in the Eastern Conference with 32.
The win went to Ondrej Pavelec, who stopped 25-of-27 shots. After giving up six goals on 23 shots, Jacob Markstrom was replaced by Scott Clemmensen.
