WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- The performance of defenseman Dustin Byfuglien and the Winnipeg Jets on Friday night was certainly more memorable than the last time they played a meaningful game in their home barn.

The 6-foot-5, 260-pound product of Roseau, Minn., fired a highlight-reel goal with just 1:28 left in the third period to spark the Jets to a 3-1 triumph over the Calgary Flames at the MTS Centre.

Byfuglien poked the puck away from Calgary left winger Johnny Gaudreau on the Jets side of center ice then began barging down the left side. That's when the real magic began.

The big man deftly slipped the puck through his own legs and bounced it off the boards, picked it up again on the other side of Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman and then snapped it high past goalie Karri Ramo from a sharp angle for his second goal of the year.

After a short review, off-ice officials ruled the Jets were on side during the rush up the ice and the goal counted.

"I knew I was onside because I had the puck, but I really didn't know what was going on," said Byfuglien. "There's new rules in this league all the time, who knows what's going on anymore."

He didn't play up his own heroics, as per usual in his post-game interviews.

"It was good. It was something that... it's just another game."

The triumph came nearly six months after the Anaheim Ducks dumped the Jets 5-2 at the MTS Centre to sweep last year's best-of-seven Western Conference first-round playoff series four straight.

Right winger Blake Wheeler scored into an empty net at 19:07 to seal the win in the home-opener for Winnipeg (4-1-0).

The Flames (1-3-0) got their only goal from center Markus Backlund, who notched his first of the season early in the opening period during a goal-mouth scramble.

But Winnipeg center Bryan Little was credited with his third goal of the year when a pass from Wheeler bounced in off his skate midway through the second period to even the game at 1.

Little said Byfuglien's winning goal was a beauty.

"He's a guy that's fun to watch when he's playing his game. He's just so strong and big on the puck and he shows he's got a nice pair of hands and a great shot, too," said Little. "When he wants to take that puck to the net, there's not many guys in this league that can stop him."

Ramo was the best player on the ice for the visitors, stopping 27 shots. But he shouldered all the blame for yielding Byfuglien's late tie-breaker that somehow squeezed past him.

"I don't know," said the Finnish goaltender. "My skate just slipped, taking the post away. My skate just slipped into the net. (It's) something that happens from time to time. It's just a small, small, tiny mistake that I made and it made it look really awful. Not bad luck, just really poor execution on my part."

"That's hockey. That's the game there. Today it cost us the game. The goalie's job is to give his team a chance to win. We were there but it's still a pretty large mistake by me. The situation makes it worse. If it was the first few minutes of the game you have time to regroup.

"That was crucial time of the game."

Jets goalie Ondrej Pavelec made 19 saves for his second win of the young season.

The game was the first of six straight at home for the Jets, their longest home stand of the 2015-16 season.

Calgary coach Bob Hartley wasn't displeased with his club's effort in hostile territory.

"The second period, the last 10 minutes, they gain momentum on us. But in the third it was up and down, it was odd-man rushes on both sides," Hartley said. "I'm really happy with our game. We did lots of good things. We have lots of young players who are learning the game, especially the NHL game and how to play in late minutes.

"But they got the last shot and they deserve to win."

NOTES: Calgary C Lance Bouma broke his fibula in a 4-3 home defeat to the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday and is out indefinitely. The Flames recalled C Markus Granlund from Stockton of the American Hockey League, although he didn't dress Friday while C Josh Jooris was in the lineup against Winnipeg. ... Jets D Paul Postma, D Ben Chiarot and RW Anthony Peluso were scratched. ... Winnipeg was the last team in the NHL to have its home opener, after beginning the season with four road contests against Eastern Conference teams followed by a couple of days off. ... Jets C Mark Scheifele fired a goal in each of the first three games of the season, and none was a fluke. He used a quick release to beat Boston G Tuukka Rask, New Jersey G Cory Schneider and New York Islanders G Thomas Greiss. ... The Flames begin a three-game home stand Saturday against the Edmonton Oilers.