The Winnipeg Jets extended their winning streak to three on Sunday night.

For those of you keeping track, this is the first time the Jets have won three straight since late December, when they beat the Avalanche on the 27th, the Los Angeles Kings on the 29th and the Maple Leafs on the 31st. The last four-game winning streak came at the start of December when they defeated the Phoenix Coyotes, New Jersey Devils, Boston Bruins and Carolina Hurricanes to start an outstanding month.

On an evening when some wondered if the Jets might be in for a trap game — or letdown, if you will — the Jets instead showed a little more resiliency in a 5-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche.

No, the game wouldn’t have been as lopsided as the score would indicate, were it not from 18 saves in the second period and 31 in the game from Ondrej Pavelec, it’s not like the Jets goalie had to go out and steal the show either.

The Jets jumped out to a 2-0 lead, let the Avalanche back in the game after a goal from rookie Gabriel Landeskog at 10:42 of the second period but restored the two-goal advantage less than two minutes later and never looked back.

Offensively, the Jets top guns continued to produce — and that’s a must if they want to keep moving up the Eastern Conference standings (we’ll get to that a bit later).

The Jets top trio of Blake Wheeler (four assists), Bryan Little (two goals) and captain Andrew Ladd (one goal, one assist) combined on three goals and eight points in this one.

The three started the season together, were split up and have now found the chemistry that allowed them to have success late last season with the Atlanta Thrashers after being reunited once again.

“Our whole line is playing well. Right when we were put together after the All-star break, we made a conscious effort to make this work like we did last year and we’re going really well right now,” said Wheeler, who has established a career high with 46 points — eclipsing the 45 he produced as a rookie for the Bruins back in 2008-09. “We’re trying to win puck battles and keep things simple and it’s turning into some good chances for us and it’s translated into some big goals.”

Little has four goals in his past two games to give him 18 on the season.

“The puck just feels like it’s coming to me right now,” said Little. “Both plays, I was just trying to hang around the net and (the puck) just ended up on my stick. That’s the way it’s gone this year, scoring in bunches. That’s not the way you would like it to go, but that’s how it’s been going.”

Ladd, meanwhile, admitted feeling some relief to snapping a 13-game drought with his power play marker at 5:40 of the third.

“Obviously, I still think I bring a lot to the table (other than scoring) but I think I probably got away from that for a bit and wasn’t happy with my game,” said Ladd, who has 17 goals and 31 points in 61 games. “I’ve been really happy with my game the past two, three games and thought it would come after that. It was nice to finally get it.”

The second line of Evander Kane (one goal, one assist), Kyle Wellwood (one goal, one assist) and Alex Burmistrov (one assist) had a solid offensive contribution as well.

Burmistrov also made a heads up play during the second roughing minor to Kane that drew a cross-checking call on Avs D-man Kyle Quincey that nullified the power play.

As for the play that led to the Kane double minor, Avs D-man Shane O’Brien took a run at Kane and caught him with a high hit inside the Jets’ blue-line after he pinched in and as the play continued Kane went right back at O’Brien and dropped his gloves at 7:45 of the third period.

When the dust settled, Kane was given a double minor and O’Brien escaped with nothing. In our opinion, it should have been four minutes for Kane and two for O’Brien — though Kane certainly initiated the extracurricular activity.

Given the situation, I didn’t mind that Kane stuck up for himself and went after O’Brien. With a 4-1 lead, it certainly opened the door for the Avalanche (who have the top road power play in the NHL) to get back into the game if they had converted on one (or both of the opportunities) but the Jets managed to come away unscathed and the penalty didn’t cost them.

Obviously, if it’s a 2-1 or 3-1 game, Kane would need to show a little more discipline and restraint and take a number but he gets a little more leeway in this case when you’re holding a three-goal lead. It should also be noted that if it wasn’t Kane who dropped the gloves, Dustin Byfuglien was also ready to come to Kane’s defence.

As for those standings, the Jets (who have 64 points but have played 61 games) are now tied for eighth spot with the Toronto Maple Leafs (who have two games in hand) and are only one point behind the Florida Panthers (who hold three games in hand) while occupying top spot in the Southeast Division and the third seed in the East that currently comes with it.

“We still have to take advantage of this homestand, we find another level here and feed off the energy,” said Little.

The Jets are back in action Tuesday at 6 p.m. as they continue an eight-game homestand against Ilya Bryzgalov and the Philadelphia Flyers.

Whether Bryzgalov can find peace to play in Winnipeg (should he get the call to start in goal) is anyone’s guess.