Jets defeat Predators in battle for first place in Central

WINNIPEG -- The Winnipeg Jets moved into first place in the Central Division with a 5-3 win against the Nashville Predators at Bell MTS Place on Friday.

The Jets (38-22-4) lead the Predators by one point atop the division.
"It was just patience," said Jets captain Blake Wheeler, who had a goal and two assists. "Didn't open the game up, didn't try to do too much. It's a good sign. The end of February has been rough to us. To show that type of confidence to stay with our game plan, even when it wasn't going our way, that was awesome."
WATCH: [All Predators vs. Jets highlights]
Mark Scheifele and Kevin Hayes each had a goal and two assists for Winnipeg, which won for the second time in seven games. Laurent Brossoit made 35 saves in place of Connor Hellebuyck, who missed the game with the flu.
"Those guys carry a completely different pressure than a lot of other players," Jets coach Paul Maurice said of their top line. "They have to do both, right? They have to play against one of the best lines in the League, and then they're expected to score, and being on for one (against), I think they got fired up after that."

Viktor Arvidsson, P.K. Subban and Mattias Ekholm scored for the Predators (37-25-5), who are 3-3-0 in their past six games. Pekka Rinne made 27 saves.
"Every loss stings, but these divisional games are so huge and it's so tight with the way [the] St. Louis [Blues have] been playing," Predators forward Colton Sissons said. "And obviously, us and the Jets have been head-to-head all year and they have a couple of games in hand, so this one [stinks] big time … but plenty of opportunity to bounce back."
Arvidsson gave the Predators a 1-0 lead when he scored off a centering pass from Filip Forsberg in the slot at 15:21.

Kyle Connor scored at 16:48 of the first, but Nashville coach Peter Laviolette challenged that Connor was offside, and the goal was overturned after video review showed Connor entered the zone before the puck.
Subban made it 2-0 when he scored a power-play goal with a one-timer from the point at 12:12 of the second period.
"We're in that final stretch here where we need to figure out what kind of team we're going to be going into the playoffs," Hayes said. "And going down 2-0 and battling back, I thought we showed some pretty good adversity there."

Scheifele tied his NHL career-high in goals with his 32nd at 15:48 when he scored on the power play to pull the Jets to within 2-1. Connor tied it 2-2 when he got to a loose puck and scored from the slot at 18:21.
Wheeler scored with a wrist shot off a rush down the right side to give the Jets a 3-2 lead at 14:09 of the third period, moments after Mikael Granlund, making his Predators debut, whiffed on a shot attempt on a 2-on-1 rush.
"I think, at times, we kind of shot ourselves in the foot with being a little bit aggressive, trying to push for that next one, push for that next one," Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis said. "If we get that one, we're obviously in a comfortable spot. Tonight, we didn't. They counter and they buried."
Tyler Myers scored into the empty net at 18:14 to make it 4-2, but Ekholm brought the Predators back to 4-3 at 19:00.
Hayes scored his first goal with the Jets into the empty net at 19:28 for the 5-3 final. He was acquired in a trade from the New York Rangers on Monday.

They said it

"Yeah, it was back and forth. They caught a couple quick ones to get back in it late in the period. And then the third went back and forth. I thought we were playing a pretty good third period. We went down and took a punch and missed, and they came back and put it in the net. So it went back and forth pretty good." -- Predators coach Peter Laviolette
"Night and day. That first day was a pretty emotional day. I woke up to a phone call saying I was out of there, and two flights, bags don't show up, get in at 1:30 in the morning, and then play a game the next day. Just a lot of emotions. Meeting a bunch of new guys. Thinking so much. Switching systems. You just pick up your life and move." -- Jets forward Kevin Hayes on his first and second games with them after being traded by the Rangers

Need to know

Granlund had an assist on Ekholm's goal. The forward was acquired from the Minnesota Wild for forward Kevin Fiala on Monday. ... Predators center Ryan Johansen had an assist on Subban's goal to end a six-game point drought. … Connor has three goals and three assists during a five-game point streak. … Wheeler has one goal and seven assists during a five-game point streak.

What's next

Predators: At the Minnesota Wild on Sunday (7:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, NHL.TV)
Jets:At the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday (7 p.m. ET; SN, FS-O, NHL.TV)