Ehlers, Scheifele, Connor lead Jets to win over Senators

Nikolaj Ehlers scored a goal and had two assists to lead the Winnipeg Jets to a 4-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.

Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor each had a goal and an assist and Gabe Vilardi contributed a power-play goal for Winnipeg (26-10-1).

"The big thing we've talked about is their buy-in to playing without the puck," Jets head coach Scott Arniel said of his top line post-game. "But the big thing that they've recognized is the other coaches are playing their team's top lines against them. It isn't just their best defending (line); they're going head-to-head with elite players."

"That's kind of been my challenge to them," Arniel continued. "You're seeing the other team's top line. Now you got to go be better than them because if you don't, they're going to be scoring against you, they're going to get opportunities against you."

Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck made 33 saves at Canada Life Centre.

Ridley Greig and Tim Stutzle both scored power-play goals, and Mads Sogaard stopped 19 shots for Ottawa (18-5-2).

Ehlers scored at 11:19 of the third period and assisted on Vilardi's at 9:47 for the go-ahead goal.

Ottawa led 2-0 early in the second period, but Winnipeg countered with two goals just two minutes 15 seconds apart to draw even.

"We just got after them. I think we started well, and then they kind of took over in the first period," Ehlers told reporters of the shift in the game. "From then on, we deserved to win this game tonight."

Scheifele set up Connor at 12:46 and then Ehlers sent Scheifele in alone on Sogaard to beat the Senators' goalie with a backhand shot at 15:01.

Connor’s goal extended his point streak to six games.

Ottawa's Greig tipped a Thomas Chabot point shot past a screened Hellebuyck at 4:03 of the second period. Stutzle converted a Drake Batherson pass at 10:40 of the first.

"You just gotta stay focused each shift. They have a good team, and every one of those players can make plays, so you just gotta stay focused throughout the game," forward Shane Pinto said when asked what the Senators can take away from the loss. "I think we kind of lacked that here and there, and the puck went in the back of the net. So (we) just have to be better in that area."

Takeaways

Jets: After a slow start, Winnipeg’s top line came to life with three goals, including one scored on a power play.

Senators: Jumped on the Jets early for a lead, but Hellebuyck held the Sens off after that.

"I hate that we lost," said Ottawa head coach Travis Green after the game. "I thought we had a real good effort out of our group. It's a good team over there and give them credit, they found a way to win. We need to reset and get ready to go tomorrow."

"There were some moments in the game that we'd like to have back," he later added. "I thought their top players kind of stepped up their game when they needed to. That's the sign of a good time, and we played a good game. But it wasn't good enough."

Key moment

Ehlers' goal scored on a wrist shot less than a minute and a half after Vilardi gave the hosts the lead, helping seal the victory.

"It started on the shift right before that. I took it to the net and took two, three whacks at it, but I also saw Gaber was backdoor, so if I could get it there, I knew we had a chance of putting it in the back of the net," Ehlers explained of his assist on Vilardi's goal. "I told Gaber to be ready for it, and it worked out."

Key stat

Hellebuyck's 33 saves, including 17 in the third period.

Up next

The Jets host the Nashville Predators on Monday.

The Senators visit the Minnesota Wild on Sunday.

— With files from Sportsnet Staff