Jets end Blues' 12-game winning streak, pad lead for Presidents' Trophy

WINNIPEG -- The St. Louis Blues’ franchise record 12-game winning streak ended with a 3-1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets at Canada Life Centre on Monday.

It was the longest winning streak in the NHL this season, surpassing the Jets, who won 11 straight from Jan. 22-Feb. 27.

“That was a really solid 60 minutes of going out in five-man units, outbattling them, and getting zone time on the opposition,” Winnipeg coach Scott Arniel said. "I thought all four lines won their matchups, along with the D-men, obviously. But yeah, you do that, you have 20 guys doing that, that's a tough team to beat."

Alex Iafallo, Morgan Barron and Adam Lowry scored for the Jets (53-21-4), who set their franchise record for wins in a season. Connor Hellebuyck made 14 saves.

“We’re still after something here, we’re still trying to get that division, and this was another step towards it,” Arniel said. "It’s amazing that we’re at [win] 53 and we still haven’t clinched the division. That’s how good our division is.”

Winnipeg extended its lead to five points over the Dallas Stars for first in the Central Division and Western Conference, and to three points over the Washington Capitals for the Presidents’ Trophy as the top team in the NHL.

“They're top of the League, right? They’re there for a reason,” Blues captain Brayden Schenn. “They play hard defense, no time and space, good goalie. Second period I thought we got it going there a little bit. And then, obviously in the third [we] gave one up there and had some chances late and weren’t able to capitalize, but onto the next one now and we're going to go win in Edmonton.”

Pavel Buchnevich scored, and Joel Hofer made 23 saves for the Blues (43-29-7), who remained two points ahead of the Minnesota Wild for the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference.

“They’re very committed defensively, one of the best teams, and then they have one of the best, if not, well, [Hellebuyck is] going to win the Vezina this year,” St. Louis coach Jim Montgomery said. “So, [it] speaks for itself. They've done a great job all year. They're the measuring stick in the West.”

Iafallo put the Jets in front 2-1 at 7:05 of the third period. Kyle Connor stickhandled through the Blues' zone and was stopped by Hofer in the slot, but Iafallo jammed in the rebound at the edge of the crease.

“Everybody looked at each other and got up for this one,” Connor said. “We just embraced the moment. Top to bottom, we took the flow of the game early. I liked what I saw.”

Lowry scored an empty-net goal for the 3-1 final at 19:51.

“They took it to us in the first period, definitely,” Schenn said. “Took time and space away from us, had extended O-zone time, and we just weren't able to get to a forecheck. Whether that was us maybe forcing a few plays and not putting it to the goal line, and obviously them defending well. So like I said, we feel like we didn't have our best tonight, but at the end of the day they're a good hockey team and we're right there till the end.”

Barron gave the Jets a 1-0 lead at 2:34 of the second period. After breaking up a pass from Blues forward Mathieu Joseph at the defensive blue line, Barron then held off Joseph’s check on a partial breakaway and scored with a shot that beat Hofer stick side.

“I think that’s how we want to play. That’s a really good team in transition,” Barron said. “We kind of knew that when we’re at the top of our game we’re able to stymy that the best we could. Our ‘D’ just gapped up really nicely and our forwards tracked back really well.”

Buchnevich tied it 1-1 at 7:27 with a one-timer in the slot after Robert Thomas found him with a centering pass from behind the net.

Thomas has 20 points (four goals, 16 assists) on a nine-game point streak.

“Hellebuyck made a save, and coming to the boards [defenseman Philip Broberg] pinched the wall,” Buchnevich said. “[Thomas] made a play behind the net and I just shot it.”

NOTES: Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers did not play for the second straight game due to a lower-body injury. … Winnipeg surpassed its previous record of 52 wins, which it achieved in 2023-24 and 2017-18. … With 110 points (53-21-4), the Jets are five away from breaking their franchise record set in 2017-18 (114). … Hellebuyck won his 44th game this season (44-12-3), which leads the NHL and is tied for his career high. It was also the 319th win of his career, tying Craig Anderson for the fifth-most by a United States-born goalie in NHL history.