WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- Ondrej Pavelec returned from AHL purgatory to help the Winnipeg Jets halt a four-game losing streak with a 6-3 victory over the Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday night at the MTS Centre.

The 29-year-old Czech stopped 30 shots -- more than one of the spectacular variety -- to record his first victory since late last season. He made Jets' management look brilliant -- for one night at least -- with their mid-season call-up.

But he didn't conjure up any images of Ken Dryden or Dominik Hasek, letting in a goal on the first shot he faced, another one on the sixth shot and handling the puck like it was a grenade on a number of other occasions.

With rookie standout Patrik Laine still recovering from a concussion, the Jets relied on scoring by committee, with goals from forwards Bryan Little, Blake Wheeler, Andrew Copp, Joel Armia and Nik Ehlers and defenseman Jacob Trouba. A total of 14 Jets ended up on the scoresheet. The Coyotes countered with scores by defenseman Jakob Chychrun and Oliver Ekman-Larsson and forward Josh Jooris.

But it was Pavelec's diving stop on right winger Radim Vrbata -- lurching to his right to deflect a seemingly sure goal out of play with his paddle -- that brought many of the sold-out crowd out of their seats and chants of Pav-y! Pav-y! Pav-y! to ring out throughout the rink. He was also named the game's second star.

"It was kind of my fault, I couldn't hold the rebound," Pavelec said of the highlight reel stop. "Lucky save. It's nice to have that save, that's for sure. It feels really good. But we were up already 4-2 and it just (was a) lucky save."

Perhaps, but sometimes you have to be good to be lucky and Connor Hellebuyck and Michael Hutchinson, who were selected ahead of Pavelec after training camp, haven't been very good lately.

"I just like how the team responded," Pavelec said. "I think as a goalie, you get called up from the AHL, you can't ask for more from the team in front of him. I think the guys battled so hard. I think they realized the goalie would be struggling in the first period. It's a nice comeback and was nice to get the win in the first game, that's for sure."

Jets coach Paul Maurice didn't blame Pavelec for the first goal -- it was slightly deflected -- and said he was happy for his goalie.

"He set square on the first one. To be honest with you, it was comical. It was funny. His game just built through that first part and he got stronger. Going to the minors at this point in his career is a humbling thing. And he figured out how to handle it and get himself back," he said.

So, will Pavelec be starting Saturday afternoon when the St. Louis Blues come to town?

"Oh, it's early, eh?" Maurice said. "This is six games in nine nights for our hockey team ending tonight so we're going to take the day off. He's feeling good, we're feeling good. I probably won't be changing a whole lot."

Coyotes coach Dave Tippett said he was disappointed in his team's effort, particularly since they beat the Jets at home last week.

"In the second period, they came out real strong and we couldn't match their ability to win puck battles. You win puck battles which allows you to play in the offensive zone. We lost too many battles in front of our net and they ended up in goals," he said.

Coyotes starter Mike Smith stopped 29 of 35 shots and was pulled after Ehlers' goal midway through the third period. Back-up Louis Domingue stopped all four shots that he faced.

Tippett said he has been impressed with Alex Burmistrov, whom the Coyotes picked up on waivers from the Jets a couple weeks ago. The 25-year-old Russian is seeing some ice time on the first power play unit and recorded two assists in two games, matching his offensive output in 23 games with the Jets this season.

"We just need some skill. We don't have enough skill in our group, especially with (forward Martin) Hanzel out today. He jumped in there and we 're going to try him in some different spots. (The Jets) had players who were doing that ahead of him. We don't have those players to do that so he's going to get an opportunity," he said.

Burmistrov, who had been with the Jets with 5 1/2 years and the the same organization for another one before that with the Atlanta Thrashers, said it was a tough game for him.

"It was not easy to play against the boys you've been playing with for so long,'' Burmistrov said. "It's just hard. It was weird to watch the guys skating in the warm up in the jersey you're used to wearing. Everybody skated by me and say hi in the warm up. I'm really happy about moving (to the Coyotes). I'm ready for this new chapter in my life. It didn't work out (in Winnipeg), they didn't want me so I'm playing for the Coyotes now. I like it here but I have a lot of good memories about Winnipeg."

There was another Coyote reminiscing about Winnipeg after the game, too. Shane Doan, who was the first-round draft pick of Jets 1.0 in 1995, played his first pro season in the city in 1995-96, the last year before that team moved to the desert. There has been growing speculation that he will retire after the current season. If he does, Wednesday night was his last game in Winnipeg.

"That's something that is special, if that's the case. I wish it was a lot better (game) than that," he said.

The 40-year-old also addressed the chance that he could be dealt at the trade deadline.

"There are always possibilities with guys that are at the end of their careers. You understand that's going to be talked about. We'll talk about it, I guess, if it happens," he said.

NOTES: Jets RW Patrik Laine, who has been out with a concussion for 10 days, skated for the first time Wednesday morning. He was joined in the press box by teammates LW Brandon Tanev and G Michael Hutchinson and Coyotes C Martin Hanzal, C Laurent Dauphin and D Kevin Connauton. ... Coyotes RW Shane Doan is the last member of the original Jets franchise still playing in the NHL. His first and only season in Winnipeg was 1995-96. His teammate, D Jakob Chychrun, was born two years later. ... Last season, Doan became just the second active player to score a goal at Winnipeg Arena and the MTS Centre. ... Coyotes rookie Max Domi was born in Winnipeg. His dad, Tie, played nearly three seasons with the original Jets in the early 1990s. ... The Coyotes lead the NHL with a 58.3 shooting percentage in shootouts.