The Winnipeg Jets secured a dominant 3-0 victory over the Nashville Predators, with Connor Hellebuyck earning his fifth shutout of the season. Hellebuyck made 22 saves, extending his lead in the NHL for shutouts. Gabriel Vilardi played a pivotal role, scoring twice on the power play within a minute in the final period. Defenseman Dylan DeMelo opened the scoring late in the second, marking his first goal of the season. With contributions from Nikolaj Ehlers and Kyle Connor, who each tallied two assists, Winnipeg continued its strong run, pushing its record to 27-9-1.
Despite a solid 25-save performance from Juuse Saros, the Predators couldn’t break through Winnipeg’s defense. The loss extended Nashville’s recent struggles, marking their second consecutive defeat after a promising 3-0-1 stretch. The Jets, meanwhile, capitalized on their power plays and suffocating defense to secure their fourth straight win.
In Florida, the Panthers defeated the New York Rangers 5-3, with Jesper Boqvist leading the charge with two goals. Eetu Luostarinen, Mackie Samoskevich, and Aleksander Barkov also contributed to the Panthers’ offensive outburst. Sergei Bobrovsky was solid in net, stopping 33 shots to give Florida a much-needed victory after being shut out in their previous two games. This win helped the Panthers break their offensive slump and maintain their position in the Eastern Conference.
The Rangers, who have been struggling, saw Filip Chytil, Ryan Lindgren, and Chris Kreider find the net. Kreider’s goal was especially notable, as it ended a frustrating 0-for-25 power-play drought. Igor Shesterkin made 21 saves in the loss, and the Rangers’ woes continued, as they have now lost seven of their past eight games, leaving them with a challenging road ahead.
Meanwhile, the Seattle Kraken defeated the Utah Hockey Club 5-2, thanks to a strong performance from Jaden Schwartz, who registered a goal and two assists. Yanni Gourde, Andre Burakovsky, Matty Beniers, and Jared McCann also scored for Seattle, helping the team recover from a five-game losing streak. Philipp Grubauer made 28 saves to preserve the win. Utah, led by Logan Cooley and Alexander Kerfoot’s goals, continued their skid, dropping their fourth straight game despite Karel Vejmelka’s 28-save effort.
