WINNIPEG — Connor Hellebuyck stopped 28 shots and lifted the Winnipeg Jets to a critical 2-0 triumph over the Nashville Predators on Saturday.
The Winnipeg goalie recorded his fourth shutout of the season. The Jets, who are in a desperate race for the final wild-card playoff berth in the NHL’s Western Conference, improved to 44-32-3.
Defenceman Neal Pionk and forward Mark Scheifele scored for Winnipeg.
Nashville netminder Jusse Soros made 36 saves on 38 shots as Nashville dropped to 40-31-8 — and three points behind the Jets in the standings.
Pionk gave Winnipeg a 2-0 lead 1:36 into the third period. The defenceman took a great pass from forward Nikolaj Ehlers at the top of the faceoff circle and fired the puck past Saros. Forward Blake Wheeler also assisted.
The Jets stormed Nashville in the second period, outshooting the Predators 20-5, but only managed one goal.
Just after Ehlers hit the crossbar on the power play, the Jets thought they had upped the score to 2-0 when the puck slid behind Saros into the net. But the referee had already blown the whistle to end the play with Saros down and immediately called the goal off. After a review, the ref’s decision prevailed.
The Jets finally opened the scoring at 15:06 of the second period. Scheifele took a pass from Vladislav Namestnikov, took it to the middle of the ice and fired a shot at Saros. The puck went off the goalie’s glove, off a post, and into the net for Scheifele’s 40th of the season. Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey also assisted. It is the first time Scheifele has scored 40 goals in a season.
Ehlers also hit the post at the midway point of the second as the Jets buzzed the Nashville zone.
Hellebuyck made a solid save off Nashville forward Kiefer Sherwood from the slot in the middle frame.
Jets forward Nino Niederreiter forced Saros to be sharp early in the second.
The Jets chances were limited in the opening frame, but Scheifele hit the post aiming for a wide-open net on the power play.
Hellebuyck had to be sharp on several labelled shots in the first period as the Preds outshot Winnipeg 8-7, but he was equal to the task.
NOTES
Winnipeg forward Kyle Connor needed one point to become the fifth player in Jets/Atlanta Thrashers history to accomplish multiple 80-point seasons. He also needed two assists to hit 50 on the season for the first time heading into the game. … Mark Scheifele is the sixth player in franchise history to score at least 40 goals. … The Predators played without injured forwards Philip Forsberg, Matt Duchene, Ryan Johansen, Cole Smith and Jusso Parssinen, as well as injured defencemen Roman Josi, Alexandre Carrier and Jeremy Lauzon.
UP NEXT
Jets: Host the San Jose Sharks on Monday.
Predators: Play in Calgary against the Flames on Monday.
