Kyle Connor scores in OT, Jets beat Predators 2-1

WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- — Kyle Connor scored 3:31 into overtime to give the Winnipeg Jets a 2-1 victory over the Nashville Predators on Thursday night.

Connor scored after having his first 10 shots stopped.

“I think, even early on in the year, he was a little snakebit, but he was getting seven, eight chances, real good chances to score,” said Adam Lowry, who assisted on the winner. “You had the feeling that eventually, one of those is going to go in.”

Dylan DeMelo also scored for Winnipeg and Connor Hellebuyck made 25 saves. The Jets snapped a two-game skid to improve to 19-9-1.

Filip Forsberg scored for Nashville and Juuse Saros stopped 39 shots.

“(Saros) gave us the chance to win the hockey game,” Predators center Mikael Granlund said. “We have two really good goalies and they are going to give us the chance to win every night. Obviously, it’s disappointing we didn’t get the two points for Juice with the way he played tonight. At the same time, we got something out of this game, and we’ve got to live with that.”

The Predators have dropped five in a row to fall to 12-12-4.

“Give their goalie a lot of credit because he made a lot of very big and timely saves for them,” Jets coach Rick Bowness said. “But he’s (Connor) got one of the best releases in the league, so just keep shooting, man.”

DeMelo tied it with 4:36 left in the opening period with his first of the season. After falling to the ice, he slid the puck in off a centering pass from Connor.

The Predators opened the scoring at 9:04 with their first shot on goal. Forsberg capped off a pretty passing play, beating Hellebuyck from the left faceoff circle.

UP NEXT

Predators: At Colorado on Saturday night.

Jets: Host Vancouver on Saturday night.

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