National Hockey League
Winnipeg 2, Seattle 1
When: 8:00 PM ET, Thursday, January 16, 2025
Where: Canada Life Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Referees: Justin Kea, Wes McCauley
Linesmen: David Brisebois, Bevan Mills
Attendance: 13959

Dylan DeMelo scored with 27 seconds remaining in the third period as the Winnipeg Jets defeated the visiting Seattle Kraken 2-1 Thursday night to remain tied with Washington for first place in the NHL's overall standings.

Mark Scheifele also scored for the Jets, who improved to 4-1-2 on their eight-game homestand, which concludes Saturday against Calgary. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 18 saves.

Matty Beniers scored for the Kraken, who completed a five-game trip with a 2-3-0 record. Joey Daccord stopped 34 of 36 shots.

The winning goal came after a clearance attempt by Seattle defenseman Adam Larsson took a strange carom off the side glass and fell to the Jets' Nikolaj Ehlers. He passed to DeMelo, whose wrist shot from the top of the left faceoff circle beat a screened Daccord to the top far corner of the net.

The Kraken opened the scoring at 8:12 of the first as Kaapo Kakko won a puck battle in his own zone to start an odd-man rush. Jaden Schwartz carried the puck down the left wing to the offensive blue line before lifting a cross-ice pass back to Kakko, who immediately swatted a backhanded pass to Beniers at the top of the crease. Beniers redirected the puck over Hellebuyck's shoulder.

The Jets' league-leading power play tied the score at 9:35 of the second period. Josh Morrissey's pass found Kyle Connor for a slap shot from the top of the right faceoff circle. Daccord made the stop, but the rebound caromed almost to the left faceoff dot, where Scheifele put a one-timer into the net.

It was Scheifele's 27th goal of the season, breaking a tie with Connor for the team lead. Scheifele also moved into a tie with Connor and Toronto's William Nylander for third in the NHL, behind only Edmonton's Leon Draisaitl and Florida's Sam Reinhart.

The Kraken nearly took the lead at 16:57 of the second, but Hellebuyck made a sterling glove save on a breakaway by Andre Burakovsky.

Kraken forward Brandon Tanev was scratched because of an illness.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Seattle   Winnipeg
Matty Beniers 1 Points Dylan Demelo 1
Matty Beniers 1 Goals Dylan Demelo 1
Kaapo Kakko 1 Assists Kyle Connor 1
N/A Power Play Goals Mark Scheifele 1
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Joey Daccord .944 Save Percentage Connor Hellebuyck .947
Joey Daccord 34 Saves Connor Hellebuyck 18
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Seattle 19 1 0-1 1-2 4 29
Winnipeg 36 2 1-2 1-1 2 22
Upcoming Games
  • Winnipeg will play their next game at home against Calgary. The Jets have a W/L % of .710 after a win and .600 after a loss.
  • Seattle will play their next game at home against Los Angeles. The Kraken have a W/L % of .350 after a win and .462 after a loss.