AP, WINNIPEG, Manitoba
Cole Perfetti on Friday scored three goals for his first NHL hat-trick as the Winnipeg Jets beat the Utah Hockey Club 5-2.
Nikolaj Ehlers had a goal and two assists to reach 500 points for his career, while David Gustafsson also scored for Winnipeg. Connor Hellebuyck had 17 saves.
Barrett Hayton and Nick Schmaltz scored for Utah, while Connor Ingram stopped 25 shots.
The Winnipeg Jets’ Rasmus Kupari puts the puck into the net over Utah Hockey Club goaltender Connor Ingram, center, during their NHL game at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on Friday.
Photo: AP
Perfetti gave Winnipeg a 3-2 lead when he lifted the puck over a fallen Ingram on a pass from Vladislav Namestnikov 5 minutes, 51 seconds into the third period.
Ehlers stole the puck at his own blue line and raced down the ice on a breakaway with 7 minutes, 44 seconds left. He beat Ingram by sliding in a backhand with little more than seven minutes left in regulation time to give Winnipeg a 4-2 lead.
He reached the 500-point mark with an assist on Perfetti’s empty-net goal that completed his hat-trick with 1 minute, 45 seconds to go.
From left, the Winnipeg Jets’ Vladislav Namestnikov, Nikolaj Ehlers and Cole Perfetti celebrate Perfetti’s hat-trick goal during their NHL game against the Utah Hockey Club in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on Friday.
Photo: AP
Perfetti opened the scoring with a one-timer past Ingram with 2 minutes, 8 seconds left in the first period.
Utah tied it as Schmaltz deflected Michael Kesselring’s point shot past Hellebuyck at 1 minute, 13 seconds into the second period.
Gustafsson took advantage of a bad bounce off the boards on a shot by Dylan DeMelo that drew Ingram out of position and fired the puck into an open net at 8 minutes, 48 seconds.
Hayton tied it 2-2 at 1 minute, 19 seconds into the third.
Utah relied on Ingram to make many saves as the Jets just kept firing and scored on their rare chances.
Elsewhere on Friday, it was:
‧ Blackhawks 3, Lightning 4 (OT)
‧ Islanders 3, Flyers 1
‧ Stars 4, Golden Knights 3