On New Year’s Eve Eve, the Winnipeg Jets faced off against the Nashville Predators in downtown Winnipeg. Heading into the game, you’d expect a goalie battle between Juuse Saros and reigning Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck—and that’s exactly what we got, as both goalies stood on their heads in a low-scoring affair.

The first period saw no goals from either team, with the score remaining tied at 0-0 after 20 minutes. The shot count was also tied at 9-9.

The Jets nearly opened the scoring on their second power play look of the game. Midway through the second, Gabriel Vilardi got the puck down low and tucked the puck around Juuse Saros in the crease but somehow missed the net. The Jets were so close from taking the lead.

Winnipeg got a third chance to try and crack Nashville’s league-best penalty kill with 5:32 to go as Jeremy Lauzon took his second penalty of the night, but once again, the Predators would kill off the penalty.

The Jets would finally breakthrough the scoreless tie as Dylan DeMelo would net his first goal of the season with less than three minutes remaining in the middle frame.

Jonathan Marchessault had the puck in the corner and attempted to clear it up the boards, but Logan Stanley intercepted it at the point. Stanley slid the puck down to Morgan Barron, who waited for a clear passing lane to DeMelo. Barron sauced it to DeMelo, and DeMelo ripped it over the shoulder of Saros.

The Jets would end the second period 1-0. Definitely not much of a cushion, but they were ahead. The Shots after two periods were 17-16 in favour of Winnipeg.

The Jets would begin the third period shorthanded since Logan Stanley took a slashing penalty at the end of the second period. The Jets would successfully kill off the Nashville power play.

The Jets almost doubled their lead on a partial 2-on-1 but Mark Scheifele was denied by Saros on a cross-crease set up.

A third penalty to Lauzon put the Jets back on the power play with 7:43 to go as they searched for an insurance goal and with 43 seconds left in the man advantage, the Predators were called for having too many men on the ice, giving the Jets a 5-on-3 advantage.

The Jets would expand the lead on the 5-on-3 as Kyle Connor fed the puck to Nikolaj Ehlers who would set up Gabriel Vilardi in the front of the net. Vilardi would make no mistake, burying the puck into the back of the net just 15 seconds into the 5-on-3 to double the Jets lead.

But Gabriel Vilardi didn’t want to settle with just one goal. With Winnipeg still on the man advantage, Ehlers slid a one-touch pass to the right faceoff dot where Connor one-timed it. He didn’t get all of it, sending it wide of the net but right into Vilardi, who knocked the loose puck into the net for his second goal in just 62 seconds, giving the Jets a 3-0 lead.

The Jets would continue to fly and collect their 27th win of the season and reclaim their 1st place spot up top the NHL standings.

The Jets have 55 points in 38 games this season.

There were times in this game when the Jets had to withstand pressure, moments when Nashville had them trapped in their own end. However, the defense and Hellebuyck played their roles, which is why the Jets were able to shut out the Predators.

It was a low-scoring game that could have gone either way. The Jets led 1-0 until Nashville became undisciplined with about six minutes remaining in the third period, and the Jets capitalized on a pair of Predators penalties.

As I’ve mentioned before, the Jets can win in a variety of scenarios. One such scenario was this game, where the NHL’s best power play got the job done late, sealing the win for the Jets, especially thanks to Gabriel Vilardi, who scored two power-play goals.

The Jets will fly to Denver tonight to play the Colorado Avalanche tomorrow evening on New Year’s Eve. Puck drop for that game will be at 7:00 p.m. CT, and will be available to watch on TSN3.