Kyle Connor scores a pair to lead the Jets to 4-1 win over the Canadiens

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) keeps an eye on the puck during third period NHL hockey action against the Montreal Canadiens in Montreal on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press)

Kyle Connor scored twice and Connor Hellebuyck made 24 saves as the Winnipeg Jets won their fourth in a row, 4-1 over the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night.

Mark Scheifele also scored and Rasmus Kupari added an empty-net goal. Gabriel Vilardi provided two assists.

Juraj Slafkovsky gave Montreal an early lead and Sam Montembeault stopped 20 shots, but the Canadiens lost their third consecutive game after winning 10 of their previous 13.

Slafkovsky opened the scoring at 11:03 of the first period when he buried a behind-the-net feed from Nick Suzuki.

Connor evened the score at 15:36 of the first before Scheifele gave Winnipeg a 2-1 lead in the second.

Connor added his second with two seconds remaining in the middle period.

Takeaways

Jets: Connor and Scheifele both moved to 29 goals for the season, tying for second-best in the league. Hellebuyck, the favourite to win his third Vezina Trophy, earned his NHL-leading 31st win of the season.

Canadiens: Jumped to a hot start and scored first, but let the Jets back in the game late in the first and during the second period. On top of the loss, Montreal defenseman Kaiden Guhle injured his leg from an awkward fall into the boards during the third period and did not return.

Key moment

Connor’s second goal was a back breaker that beat Montembeault from the slot to give the Jets a 3-1 lead.

Key stat

Despite the loss, Montreal held Winnipeg’s league-best power play off the board. The Jets, who were scoring at a 33.3% clip this season, went 0 for 3 on the night.

Up next

Jets: Continue their three-game road trip on Thursday night against the Boston Bruins.

Canadiens: Host the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night to conclude a three-game homestand.