WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- It's not often that a player apologizes after scoring a goal but Nikolaj Ehlers told Patrik Laine he was sorry after notching an empty-netter in a 4-2 victory for the Winnipeg Jets over the Ottawa Senators at the MTS Centre on Saturday night.

The friends and sometimes linemates broke in on a two-on-one late in the game with Ottawa goaltender Mike Condon on the bench but the Danish left winger elected to shoot himself. Laine received an assist on the play.

Laine, who slumped the last two weeks with only a pair of goals, probably ceded the Calder Trophy for the NHL's top rookie to Auston Matthews. The Toronto Maple Leafs center notched his 37th and 38th goals of the campaign along with one assist in a 5-4 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night to open up a four-point lead on Laine, who has 34 goals and 62 points.

"I'd been on the ice for a minute and I don't think I was seeing (the ice) well," Ehlers said. "I could stand here with all my excuses but the puck should have been over there. I apologized (to him)."

"Next time if we get another chance like that and he has the puck, I'm just going to go change."

Not only was the victory the fourth consecutive for the Jets -- the first time this season they have posted such a streak, it was also the fourth game in a row the Jets came from behind.

Connor Hellebuyck stopped 29 shots to post the victory, including a couple of nifty glove saves late in the game. Condon turned aside 24 shots at the other end.

Left winger Mathieu Perreault notched the winner with a quick shot from the slot at 7:46 of the third period thanks to a great pass from center Bryan Little. His 12th goal of the season and third game-winning goal of the year was aided by 6-foot-4 Laine, who provided the screen.

Neither the Jets (37-35-7) nor the Senators (41-27-9) could score on two chances each on the power play.

The Jets also got singles from captain Blake Wheeler (25th) and center Adam Lowry (15th) while the Senators replied with a pair from left winger Mike Hoffman (his 24th and 25th). Little and defenseman Jacob Trouba had a pair of assists for the Jets.

"That was a nice pass (from Little)," said Perreault, who has eight goals and 15 assists in his last 20 games. "I think Trouby just kept the puck in at the blue line and then I got the puck, (Little) gave it to me and a quick shot on goal and it went in."

Perreault said the fact the Jets are showing such resiliency when there's nothing left to play for -- they were eliminated from the playoff race earlier this week -- shows the character of the players in his dressing room.

"We just don't quit. I wish we would have done it earlier in the season but it's nice to get those wins now and get that good feeling in the room and know that we can do it and build on that," he said.

Jets coach Paul Maurice agreed.

"(You've got to) handle it right. It's a tough situation. You've got to come to the rink and you've got to play hard, because that's your job regardless. And we've done that," Maurice said.

Lowry's goal came at even strength but after a particularly dominant power play on which the Jets hemmed the Senators in their own zone for the entire two minutes. Even though the Jets were tired, they knew the Senators' legs were even heavier.

"I think you're cognizant of people on the ice and the pressure that they're putting on (you),'' Maurice said. "The pass Scheifele made, I think he says he wouldn't necessarily try that pass cross-blue line over two guys' sticks if they're fresh. He feels he can catch them if they knock it down.

"When you're tired you seem to start making mistakes. They weren't able to get a few clears and luckily we were able to cash in there."

The Senators lost defenseman Cody Ceci with a lower-body injury while playing their second consecutive game without captain Erik Karlsson, who is out with a lower-body injury after blocking a shot.

Senators coach Guy Boucher said he's not sure when Karlsson will return to the lineup.

"We're going to need some more candles at church to be lit up for sure,'' Boucher said. "Hopefully, (his injury) takes less time than more, but in the end if he's not there, we're going to play with the guys who are there and we're going to have to battle through and find ways to scratch some points and go through it.''

NOTES: In the press box for the Jets were D Paul Postma, D Ben Chiarot, D Toby Enstrom, G Ondrej Pavelec, LW Shawn Matthias and C Marko Dano. ... Joining them from the Senators were D Mark Methot, C Christopher DiDomenico and D Erik Karlsson. ... The Senators' power play is clicking at 17.5 percent this season. ... The Senators' six-game winning streak in Winnipeg came to an end. ... The Jets have seven wins after trailing going into the third period, including two this week. They had three such wins last season.