RALEIGH, N.C. _ Before the opening puck drop Sunday, Winnipeg Jets captain Blake Wheeler turned and shoved the Carolina Hurricanes' Jeff Skinner, who quickly took offense.
Yes, it would be that kind of day, that kind of game.
The Hurricanes wanted to end a five-game homestead with a fourth straight win and even a score with the Jets. The Jets, whipped Saturday by the Boston Bruins, were determined to rebound at any cost.
Something had to give, and the Canes came away with a hard-fought 3-1 victory at PNC Arena.
Elias Lindholm's first goal of the season gave the Canes a 1-0 lead in the first period, and Victor Rask's power-play goal early in the third made it 2-0.
Mark Scheifele scored midway through the third for Winnipeg off the rush, refreshing memories of the season opener at MTS Centre, when the Jets rallied in the third period to force overtime and win.
The Jets had a late power play and came inches from scoring on Jacob Trouba shot, but the Canes' Joakim Nordstrom cleared a loose puck from the crease near the post.
Noah Hanifin then scored a power-play goal for the Canes (7-6-4) after Justin Faulk was high-sticked.
Goalie Connor Hellebuyck was the Jets' best player much of the game as the Canes got off 40 shots. Canes goalie Cam Ward, who has played so well in November, wasn't as busy until the third and had 28 saves.
The Canes controlled the flow and pace in the first period, outshooting and outchancing the Jets.
Lindholm scored at 6:45 of the period, walking out of the left corner with the puck and beating Hellebuyck with a quick, shortside shot. The Swede cast his eyes to the heavens, clearly relieved that he finally had gotten his first goal.
Before the second period became chippy, the Canes missed chances to add to the lead.
Carolina began the period on the power play, but Hanifin quickly was called for tripping, ending the man advantage.
Next, Canes forward Brock McGinn had an open look on a three-on-one rush into the Jets zone, only to find the metal with his attempt.
McGinn, forechecking with a purpose, later put a shoulder into the Jets' Toby Engstrom, sending him flying. That hit had the crowd roaring but also put some fire into the Jets.
Andrew Copp immediately went after McGinn, and the Canes' Lee Stempniak and Josh Morrissey later squared off, as did Hanifin and Adam Lowry.
Late in the period, Jordan Staal got in another big hit in the Jets zone, and Jets rookie Patrik Laine took a run at Staal. In the final minute of the period, the Jets' Dustin Byfuglien was called for high-sticking while Scheifele was cross-checking everyone in a Canes jersey. Teuvo Teravainen was sent out for roughing.
Rask's goal came after a cross-checking call against Mark Stuart. Skinner got off a shot, Stempniak corralled the rebound and got the puck to Rask, who finished for his eighth of the season.
The frustration level was high for the Jets, who have dealt with injuries and were playing the third game in a five-game road trip. Winnipeg was beaten 5-2 by the Philadelphia Flyers to start the rip, then lost 4-1 Saturday in Boston.
The Canes began the season in Winnipeg, watching a 4-1 lead vanish in the third period, then losing 5-4 in overtime as Scheifele scored the winner. Scheifele came into Sunday's game tied for the NHL lead in points, and Patrik Laine tied for the lead _ with Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby _ with 12 goals.
Canes coach Bill Peters talked Saturday about getting a "little bit of revenge" for that loss, but a bigger emphasis was following up victories over the Washington Capitals, San Jose Sharks and Montreal Canadiens.
