WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- Billed as the return of star winger Evander Kane to Winnipeg, the Sunday matinee quickly became the Sam Reinhart show.

The rookie center scored his first-ever NHL hat-trick to spark the Buffalo Sabres to a 4-2 triumph over the Jets on Sunday afternoon at MTS Centre.

Left winger Marcus Foligno snapped a 2-2 tie early in the third period with his third goal of the season as the Sabres (16-22-4) halted a six-game losing skid.

Reinhart scored his 10th and 11th goals of the season in the first period and then added his 12th into an empty net with 25 seconds left on a play courtesy of Kane, who passed up a sure goal and, instead, slid the puck over to his young teammate.

"I've never scored a hat-trick in this league yet, so when you get an opportunity to get one, he's a young kid, his rookie year, and (he's) wide open I might as well hit him for a pass and get him his hat-trick," said Kane, a speedy but enigmatic left winger who was traded away by Winnipeg last season. "It was great to see from him."

Right winger Blake Wheeler fired his 11th and center Mathieu Perreault scored his seventh for the Jets (19-20-3).

Afterward, Reinhart was asked to characterize his feelings after deposited three pucks into the net.

"Pretty scared for a little it," he said, drawing laughs in the Sabres locker room. "On the last one, it was a great play by Kaner to pass it over when he easily could have shot himself, and, obviously, a great team player there.

"You know what, it's just nice to get the win. It's been a while and hopefully it boosts our confidence to finish off this road trip and to get back home."

It was the first meeting between the two clubs since Kane, defenseman Zach Bogosian and the rights to goalie Jason Kasdorf were dealt to Buffalo last February in exchange for defenseman Tyler Myers, right winger Drew Stafford, right winger Joel Armia, junior star forward Brendan Lemieux and a 2015 first-round pick (center Jack Roslovic, Miami University).

Many Jets fans pledged on social media to give Kane a welcome as chilly as Winnipeg's weekend weather -- the temperature outside was minus-11 degrees Fahrenheit just prior to the puck drop -- and they stuck to their word. He received a loud chorus of boos during the pregame skate Sunday, but those quickly turned to cheers when the speedy left winger stepped on a puck and fell on the familiar MST Centre rink.

"It was all part of the plan," he said, wryly. "I was looking to get some cheers out of the crowd and get them behind. So, I thought that'd be a good way to do it."

The derision didn't end there. Each time he touched the puck, Winnipeg fans howled their displeasure, even chanting "Kane, you (are terrible)," "Best trade ever" and "Stafford's better" a couple of times. He also took a heavy body check from center Adam Lowry early in the first period and a crushing open-ice hit from defenseman Dustin Byfuglien midway through the second.

Echoing the comments he made after practice on Sunday, Kane said he considered his return to Winnipeg just another game on the NHL schedule, adding he didn't really notice the reception he was given.

"I'm glad we got two points and we got off this slide. As I alluded to after practice (Saturday), this is Game 42 for us, the start of the second half, and we needed to come out with some energy and get the two points and get off this train we were on and get back on the winning side of things," he said.

"I didn't know what to expect. It really had no bearing on what I thought or how I played. I didn't really have a reaction to it. For me, it was just another hockey game. I'm happy we were able to get the win."

Sabres goalie Linus Ullmark was the busier of the two netminders. He was pressed to make 42 saves, including a brilliant save on Jets rookie right winger Nik Ehlers on a second-period breakaway.

"I just want to go out there and eat him up, give him nothing," said Ullmark, describing the showdown with Ehlers. "And everything worked out all right today."

The winning goal came off a juicy rebound surrendered by Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck, who kicked out a long shot from right winger Brian Gionti right to Foligno at the 4:12 mark of the final frame.

"I was just trying to get it up on the glass. It felt like I got my toe on it instead of my stick, and then it was right on his tape and I wasn't able to get back in time," said Hellebuyck, who finished with 24 stops.

Wheeler, who had a two-point afternoon and leads the team with 11 goals and 31 assists, said the Jets are making a lot of NHL goalies "look hot these days.

"The puck isn't going into the net," he said. "Yeah, the goalie is saving it. I haven't really dissected why you score and why you don't. More often than not, it seems like kind of how we scored both of our goals is how you score in this league. Some of that is getting a good bounce here and there and some of that is getting to the net a little more. But when it rains it pours, I guess."

The Sabres head about seven hours south to Saint Paul, Minn., to play the Wild on Monday night.

Winnipeg hosts the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night, the second of a three-game home stand. The club actually plays the next eight of its next nine at the MST Centre, including five against Central Division rivals.

NOTES: Winnipeg C Mark Scheifele (lower body) was listed as a game-time decision Sunday but did not dress. RW Anthony Peluso played in his absence, while D Paul Postma and D Adam Pardy were healthy scratches. ... C Tyler Ennis (upper body) and LW Nicolas Deslauriers (upper body) were sidelined for the visitors, while D Carlo Colaiacovo was a healthy scratch. ... The Sabres entered the game with just four victories (4-10-1) since Dec. 5. ... Buffalo C David Legwand is just four games shy of 1,100 for his NHL career. ... The Jets went 6-1-0 in their seven home games in December. ... Winnipeg D Toby Enstrom entered the game with a plus-17 rating, which led the Jets and placed him in a tie for sixth in the league.