Connor scores hat trick, Jets defeat Predators for 3rd straight win

WINNIPEG -- Kyle Connor scored a hat trick and had an assist for the Winnipeg Jets in their third straight win, 6-3 against the Nashville Predators at Canada Life Centre on Thursday.

Connor has five goals in his past two games and has 11 this season, two off the NHL lead behind Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews.

“We’re using our feet to create turnovers and we’re playing well in our systems too,” Connor said. “That’s something we can always fall back on and know if we do that well, we’re going to get turnovers and have the puck more, which is obviously what we want to do, and have possession and create as much offense as we can.”

Mark Scheifele had four assists for the Jets (7-4-2), who have points in eight of their past nine games (6-1-2). Laurent Brossoit made 20 saves.

“When we close fast and when we take away -- I know it's an old adage, time and space -- but when we get after people quickly our transition comes from a lot of that stuff,” Winnipeg associate coach Scott Arniel said. “There were some really good examples of us pouring back and protecting the guts of the ice and creating the opportunities and turnovers, and then we go the other way.”

Filip Forsberg had two goals, and Philip Tomasino also scored for the Predators (5-8-0), who finished 1-4-0 on a five-game road trip. Juuse Saros made 31 saves.

“I thought we played really well in the first period, then all of a sudden they get two early goals early in the second, and a lot of penalties,” Forsberg said. “That was definitely the theme of the night. It’s one of those games that could have gone either way, but it just goes the other way.”

Mason Appleton gave the Jets a 1-0 lead at 4:04 of the first period when his pass to the crease deflected in off Nashville defenseman Tyson Barrie.

Forsberg tied it 1-1 at 6:43 with a toe drag around sliding Jets defenseman Nate Schmidt before scoring five-hole with a shot from the slot.

Connor put Winnipeg back in front 2-1 on a one-timer from Scheifele at 1:05 of the second period.

He scored again at 3:48, patiently outwaiting Saros before sliding it in on the backhand to make it 3-1.

“The biggest thing is that when they come to the bench, it’s their teammates talking about the backcheck; they’re not talking about the goal,” Arniel said. “That’s the big part of it and that’s when you know you’ve got the buy in, and everybody is excited about how these goals are coming or these situations are evolving. It was great. … Those situations have been rewarded for them [lately].”

Cole Perfetti scored on the power play to make it 4-1 at 10:33, lifting Scheifele’s rebound over Saros.

Forsberg cut it to 4-2 at 12:05 on the power play for his second goal of the game.

“[Forsberg] was great, and I think he’s played really well all year,” Nashville coach Andrew Brunette said. “Tonight, he probably had 15 shot attempts. When he’s on the puck like that and he’s around it, he’s really dangerous. Obviously he has the skill, but what I really appreciate and am proud of him [for] was he was on the puck. Early in the year, maybe he wasn’t as much, [but] it seems like every game he’s getting better.”

Brenden Dillon gave the Jets a 5-2 lead at 12:51 of the third period. The goal was initially waved off due to goalie interference but was awarded after a video review.

Tomasino cut it to 5-3 at 16:16, but Connor completed the hat trick with an empty-net goal at 16:44 for the 6-3 final.

“We definitely would have liked to have a better road trip,” Forsberg said. “We did a lot of good things, but at the end of the day we only got two points to take back with us. So, we’ve got to turn that around coming home.”

NOTES: Connor’s hat trick was the fifth of his career, and it was his sixth four-point game. He had seven shots on goal. … Scheifele has seven points (one goal, six assists) in his past two games. … Jets defenseman Dylan Samberg blocked nine shots in 17:53 of ice time. … Winnipeg went 5-for-5 on the penalty kill. It is the first time this season it has not allowed a power-play goal in consecutive games. … Forsberg has nine points (three goals, six assists) in his past six games. … With an assist on Tomasino’s goal, Predators defenseman Marc Del Gaizo has a three-game point streak (all assists) to start his NHL career.