National Hockey League
Winnipeg 3, Nashville 0
When: 7:30 PM ET, Monday, December 30, 2024
Where: Canada Life Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Referees: Mitch Dunning, Ghislain Hebert
Linesmen: Ryan Daisy, Derek Nansen
Attendance: 15225

Connor Hellebuyck made 22 saves for his league-leading fifth shutout of the season as the Winnipeg Jets defeated the visiting Nashville Predators 3-0 on Monday night.

Gabriel Vilardi had two goals and defenseman Dylan DeMelo also scored for Winnipeg, which tops the NHL with 27 wins and 55 points following its fourth consecutive victory. Nikolaj Ehlers and Kyle Connor each added two assists.

Juuse Saros stopped 25 shots for Nashville, which has dropped two in a row following a 3-0-1 stretch.

DeMelo opened the scoring with 2:42 left in the second period. He took a pass from Morgan Barron, fired a wrist shot from the inside part of the right circle and beat Saros high. It was DeMelo's first goal of the season and first in 42 games dating back to April 10.

Vilardi scored twice in a span of 1:02 late in the third. His five-on-three power-play goal made it 2-0 with 6:16 left when he slammed a shot in from the slot off a pass from Ehlers.

With the Jets still on a power play, Vilardi tapped in a loose puck with 5:14 remaining.

Saros made his best save of the night around the six-minute mark of the third when he robbed Mark Scheifele's tip attempt after a cross-slot pass from Connor.

Saros stopped Ehlers with a pad save on a partial breakaway as Ehlers split the two defensemen with a little over 10:30 left in the first. And about a minute and a half later, Saros denied Connor from the left circle.

Hellebuyck made a big save on Vinnie Hinostroza from the bottom part of the right circle on a two-on-one rush with just under five minutes remaining in the opening period.

Saros made an outstanding save on Vilardi from in front on a rebound around the halfway point of the middle period.

Hellebuyck stopped the original effort and the rebound from Mark Jankowski, who charged down the slot with 7:20 remaining in the second.

Saros foiled Ehlers again, this time on a backhand shot from in front, with 40 seconds left in the second period.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Nashville   Winnipeg
N/A Points Gabriel Vilardi 2
N/A Goals Gabriel Vilardi 2
N/A Assists Kyle Connor 2
N/A Power Play Goals Gabriel Vilardi 2
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Juuse Saros .893 Save Percentage Connor Hellebuyck 1.000
Juuse Saros 25 Saves Connor Hellebuyck 22
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Nashville 22 0 0-2 3-5 10 24
Winnipeg 28 3 2-5 2-2 4 30
Upcoming Games
  • Winnipeg will play their next game on the road against Colorado. The Jets have a W/L % of .741 after a win and .636 after a loss.
  • Nashville will play their next game on the road against Minnesota. The Predators have a W/L % of .273 after a win and .308 after a loss.