THREE THINGS: Niederreiter scores twice, Jets end 4-game slide

Nino Niederreiter scored twice to help the Winnipeg Jets beat the Nashville Predators 5-2 at Bridgestone Arena ending their four-game losing streak. Gabriel Vilardi, Cole Perfetti and Kyle Connor had the other goals for the Jets, Dylan Samberg had three helpers, and Luke Schenn had two assists. Eric Comrie was solid in the third period and finished with 21 saves for the Jets who are now 13-11 on the season. Winnipeg continues their five-game road trip in Buffalo on Monday.

STARTING ON TIME

The Jets had surrendered the first goal of the game in the previous four contests, and they were 0-4 in that situation. After a poor first period in Raliegh on Friday night, the Jets made sure they were ready to go from the drop of the puck in Nashville. In fact, 47 seconds into the game, Gabriel Vilardi scored on a rebound past Justus Annunen for the important 1-0 lead.

“Yeah, that was obviously a really good first period,” said Scott Arniel.

“And get out in front like that, especially up to nothing you're not chasing the game and put some pressure on the home team. So liked a lot of what we did.”

SOME SECONDARY SCORING

Building off that first goal of the game, Winnipeg made sure to close out the opening frame the right way as well. With under a minute a left in the first, Luke Schenn hit Nino Niederreiter in full stride through the neutral zone, after entering the Preds zone Niederreiter beat Annunen blocker side to give Winnipeg a 2-0 lead. The Swiss forward is the first forward not on the first line to score since Adam Lowry did so against Columbus earlier this month.

“Obviously feels really good getting a goal like that,” said Niederreiter.

“Goals haven’t been coming easy, so it’s a great feeling when one of those goes in.”

Cole Perfetti had two great scoring chances Friday night in North Carolina, the 23-year-old wasn’t going to miss another opportunity. In the second period, Perfetti went to the slot area and one-timed a brilliant pass from Vladislav Namestnikov for his second of the season at 12:18.

COMRIE GETS THE WIN

After starting four consecutive games in goal for the Jets, Eric Comrie got a night off on Friday. He returned to the net to face the Predators and while not that busy through the first two periods, Comrie was locked in for the third period. Comrie’s held the fort before Kyle Connor gave the Jets a 4-2 lead at 9:37. The victory tonight over Nashville was Comrie’s first ever win in four appearances against the Predators