The Winnipeg Jets (28-12-2) snapped their three-game skid, defeating the Nashville Predators 5-2 on Tuesday night (Jan. 7). This was the second time the two teams have met in the past 10 days, with the Jets also winning the other matchup 3-0 on Dec. 30.
The Jets rode a three-goal first period to surge ahead of the Predators (13-21-7), a deficit they were never truly able to overcome.
The Jets got on the scoresheet first, as the fourth line’s tenacity paid off. After the puck made its way to the net, some digging led to a Morgan Barron goal to make it 1-0 for the home side. Before the goal was even announced by in-house announcer Jay Richardson, the Jets added another.
Just 16 seconds after Barron got the Jets on the board, Josh Morrissey made it 2-0 on his fifth goal of the season. In what now appears to be his most common method of scoring, Morrissey loaded up on a slapshot from the top of the left circle and banked it in off the post and in to beat Predators’ goaltender Jusse Saros.
The Jets added another right before the end of the period, as Kyle Connor’s 23rd of the campaign made it 3-0. The play was kept alive by Mark Scheifele, who took a loose puck away from the Predators just inside the zone before finding the ever-dangerous Connor in the slot for him to roof one over Saros. Connor’s goal stood as the game-winner.
yeah you just can't leave him open like that 🤪 pic.twitter.com/GNYVWc8QAZ
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) January 8, 2025
It took until just over three minutes left in the second period, but the Predators finally got on the board courtesy of a Filip Forsberg power-play goal. His 10th of the season cut the Jets’ lead down to 3-1.
While the scoring remained the same after two periods, the Jets suffered a massive loss, as Morrissey left the game after crashing into the net. He briefly returned to the bench and took one shift before returning to the Jets locker room. For obvious reasons, this is catastrophic for the Jets, who have now lost all three of the left-handed defencemen who were in the opening night lineup, with Morrissey exiting, and Dylan Samberg and Haydn Fleury both missing time.
After a fairly low-event start to the third period, Gabriel Vilardi restored the Jets’ three-goal lead just before the halfway mark of the final frame. He tipped home a beautiful feed from Nikolaj Ehlers on the power play to make it 4-1.
The Predators refused to go away, however, as they cut into the Jets’ lead again. Captain Roman Josi wired one from the point that ricocheted off of Jets’ defender Logan Stanley and past Hellebuyck to make it 4-2.
The Jets sealed the deal with an empty-net goal, with Nino Niedereitter potting one into the open cage to make it 5-2 Jets.
Related: Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck Records 300th Win
Connor Hellebuyck recorded the win, the 300th of his already impressive career. He becomes the third fastest goalie to reach the mark in his 538th game, trailing just Andrei Vasilevskiy (490) and Jacques Plante (521). He made 26 saves in the win. Saros took the loss for the Predators. He allowed four goals on 29 shots.
Up Next
The Jets remain at home as part of their longest homestand of the season, facing off against the Los Angeles Kings on Jan. 10. The Predators head home to take on the Washington Capitals on Jan. 11.
