Stastny scores OT winner against Oilers as Jets take commanding series lead back home

Paul Stastny scored the overtime winner for the Winnipeg Jets in a 1-0 playoff win Friday over the host Edmonton Oilers.

Stastny’s screened wrist shot beat Oilers goaltender Mike Smith top corner 4:06 into the extra period.

Winnipeg took a two-game lead in the best-of-seven, first-round series after winning the opener 4-1 on Wednesday.

Games 3 and 4 are Sunday and Monday respectively at Winnipeg’s Bell MTS Place.

WATCH | Statsny scores OT winner:

Winnipeg blanks Edmonton 1-0 as Paul Stastny scores in overtime to give the Jets a 2-0 series lead. 1:37

Winnipeg goaltender Connor Hellebuyck posted a 38-save shutout for the win.

Edmonton counterpart Smith had 35 saves in a goaltenders’ duel at Rogers Place, which was devoid of spectators save for a dozen front-line health care workers.

The Jets continued to be stellar on the road. Winnipeg’s away record in the regular season was 17-10-1 compared to 13-13-2 at home.

Edmonton (35-19-2) finished second in the North Division ahead of third-place Winnipeg (30-23-3). The Oilers took the season series 7-2.

Oilers captain Connor McDavid and teammate Leon Draisaitl — the NHL’s top two scorers — were held off the scoresheet in Game 1.

Edmonton head coach Dave Tippett played the duo on the same line Friday alongside Jesse Puljujarvi for more potency.

WATCH | Stanley Cup preview: North division:

Hockey’s oldest rivalry highlights round 1 in the all-Canadian division. 3:08

McDavid and Draisaitl generated more high-grade scoring chances than in Game 1, but Winnipeg continued to play a heavy, constricting game.

The Jets put lumber on Oilers sticks to prevent clean shots, and didn’t allow Edmonton easy entries into Winnipeg’s zone.

Six-foot-seven, 228-pound Winnipeg defender Logan Stanley ground Draisaitl into the boards late in the first period.

A Stastny slashing penalty and a Stanley boarding minor gave Edmonton a five-on-three advantage for 21 seconds in the third.

The NHL’s best power-play didn’t capitalize on it or the ensuing five-on-four.

A prone Jets defenceman Dylan DeMelo blocked a McDavid shot throwing his arms in the air during a goalmouth scramble.

Edmonton’s power-play went 0-for-4 and Winnipeg was 0-for-2 in the first two playoff games.

Hellebuyck contributed to a scoreless 40 minutes. The Jets’ goalie stopped Nurse on his doorstep twice and caged Slater Koekkek’s one-timer on a Draisaitl drop pass in the second period.

Winnipeg outshot the Oilers 17-11 in a blank first period. Smith foiled Adam Lowry on a good backhand chance and stretched his right pad to stone Kyle Connor’s back-to-back attempts.