Vilardi scores twice, Jets shut out Predators

WINNIPEG -- Gabriel Vilardi scored twice in the span of 1:02, Connor Hellebuyck made 22 saves for his NHL-leading fifth shutout, and the Winnipeg Jets won 3-0 against the Nashville Predators at Canada Life Centre on Monday.

“You've got to have good special teams to win in this league,” Vilardi said. “These games are so tight against other top teams and a lot of times it comes down to special teams, and we won that battle tonight and that's a big reason we won that game.”

Dylan DeMelo also scored for the Jets (27-10-1), who have won four straight and are 7-1-1 in their past nine. Kyle Connor and Nikolaj Ehlers each had two assists.

“Hey, it's always fun winning,” Vilardi said. “I think we have a really good team. When we play to our structure and our identity I think we're really tough to beat, really tough to score on. And part was [Hellebuyck], obviously. It's fun to win. Got to keep going, though.”

Juuse Saros made 25 saves for the Predators (11-19-7), who have lost two straight coming out of the holiday break.

“It was a close hockey game, kind of low-event, tight-checking. Both teams didn’t give up a whole lot,” Nashville coach Andrew Brunette said. “We kind of made a mistake there in the second, and then obviously the power play in the third. (We) kind of mismanaged the puck a few times and got caught a little bit. So, margins are small and we found a way to lose it tonight.”

DeMelo gave the Jets a 1-0 lead at 17:18 of the second period, taking Morgan Barron’s cross-slot pass from the bottom of the circle and scoring with a wrist shot over Saros’ glove.

“That was great for [DeMelo] to come in that weak side,” Winnipeg coach Scott Arniel said. "Great play by Barron to find him. We've talked about all year, getting different people chipping in and helping offensively. ... When your defense can be part of that offense, that’s big.”

Vilardi made it 2-0 at 13:44 when he found space in the slot during a 5-on-3 power play. He then scored another power-play goal during the 5-on-4 at 14:46, jamming the puck in at the left post after Connor's one-timer hit him in the skates to make it 3-0.

“We've talked a lot about [Connor and Mark Scheifele] and I keep reminding everybody there's a third guy on that line,” Arniel said of Vilardi. “And whether that's 5-on-5 or on the power play, he's a big body guy that has some great hands on him and he doesn't stray too far away from that net. (He) doesn’t need much time and it doesn't take much. They just get it close to his blade and he's going to get it (and) usually get a shot off.”

Winnipeg, which went 2-for-5 with the man-advantage, ranks first in the NHL on the power play this season (32.5 percent).

“First of all they've got a lot of skill, obviously," Predators captain Roman Josi said. "I feel like they're really good down low making those little plays around the net, and obviously Connor and Scheifele, they're great at finding each other, and [Josh] Morrissey moves very well on the blue line. Just a really complete power play and (they’re) making some really good plays.”

NOTES: In addition to his five shutouts, Hellebuyck also leads the NHL in save-percentage (.930), goals-against average (2.00), and wins (24-5-1). … Connor has 15 points (six goals, nine assists) on a seven-game point streak. … DeMelo’s goal is his first since April 9. … Predators forward Filip Forsberg’s six-game assist streak (11) ended.