NEW YORK -- Rookie phenom Mathew Barzal fired his first career hat trick to spark the New York Islanders to a 5-2 triumph over the Winnipeg Jets in NHL action at the Barclays Centre Saturday afternoon.
It was the second straight loss for the Jets, who finished a pre-Christmas road trip with a 1-1-1 record and fell to 20-11-6 overall.
The Islanders, meanwhile, improved to 19-13-4.
The Jets were in a big hole early, facing a 2-0 deficit just 2:20 into the game. Anders Lee, with his 22nd of the season on the Isles' lethal power play at 1:31, and Barzal 49 seconds later, got the hosts out to a roaring start.