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Cole Perfetti delivered his first NHL hat trick, and Nikolaj Ehlers hit the 500-point milestone as the Winnipeg Jets soared to a 5-2 victory over the Utah Hockey Club on Friday night at Canada Life Centre.
The win marked a measure of redemption for the Jets, who fell to Utah by the same score in Salt Lake City earlier this week.
Perfetti opened the scoring at 17:52 of the first period with a power-play goal assisted by Ehlers, setting the tone for the night.
The pass, the goal, there's just SO MUCH to love about it ☺️ pic.twitter.com/cmx6jCnawT
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) January 25, 2025
Utah evened the score early in the second period, but David Gustafsson restored the Jets’ lead at 8:48 with his first goal of the season.
The third period brought drama as Utah again tied the game just over a minute in. However, Perfetti’s second goal of the night proved to be the game-winner, putting the Jets ahead for good.
Ehlers added an insurance goal with a backhand effort before Perfetti sealed his hat trick with an empty-netter at 18:15.
THE HUSTLE, THE MOVE: NIKOLAJ EHLERS EVERYONE 😤 pic.twitter.com/67NmTf9gJr
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) January 25, 2025
Ehlers’ assist on the final goal secured his 500th career point. It was an impressive three-point night for the Dane, considering he missed the morning skate due to illness and was considered a game-time decision.
Nik Ehlers Flu Game™️ pic.twitter.com/MTx6EYcSD7
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) January 25, 2025
Connor Hellebuyck made 17 saves to pick up his 30th win of the season.
The victory snapped Utah’s four-game winning streak and gave Winnipeg momentum heading into Sunday’s matchup against the Calgary Flames. The puck drop is at 5 p.m. at Canada Life Centre.
Following that, the Jets will embark on a three-game road trip with stops in Montreal, Boston, and Washington.