Winnipeg Jets win 4-2 over Montreal Canadiens

Kyle Connor scored a goal and added an assist to lead the Winnipeg Jets to a hard-fought 4-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.

It was the final contest of a four-game homestand for Winnipeg, which went 2-1-1.

Vlad Namestnikov, into an empty net, Adam Lowry and Gabriel Vilardi, on the power play, also scored for Winnipeg.

Josh Anderson and Lane Hutson responded for Montreal.

Connor Hellebuyck made 26 saves for Winnipeg (22-9-1) before a sellout crowd of 15,225 at the Canada Life Centre. It was Winnipeg’s fourth shutout of the NHL season.

Sam Montembeault stopped 23 shots for Montreal (11-16-3).

Anderson had pulled Montreal within 3-2 eight minutes into the third period, but Namestnikov’s empty-netter salted it away.

Connor gave the Jets a 3-1 lead when he one-timed a pass from Vilardi as the Jets enjoyed a two-man advantage in the second period.

Lowry gave Winnipeg a 2-1 lead at the 16:40 mark of the first period after Nino Niederreiter fed him on Montembeault’s doorstep.

Vilardi had brought the score to 1-1 with a man advantage at 13:34. With an assist on the goal, Connor moved past Bryan Little for fourth in points (522) in franchise history. His goal increased the total to 523.

Hutson had opened the scoring with his first NHL goal, blasting a shot past a screened Hellebuyck.

This report from The Canadian Press was first published on December 14, 2024.