Scheifele notches hat trick as Jets top Maple Leafs 5-2 ahead of NHL's holiday break

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll (60) looks back at his net as Winnipeg Jets left wing Kyle Connor scores during first-period NHL action in Toronto on Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Republished December 23, 2024 - 1:58 PM

Original Publication Date December 23, 2024 - 10:06 AM

TORONTO - Mark Scheifele scored a hat trick and an assist while Kyle Connor collected two goals and an assist to spark the NHL-leading Winnipeg Jets to a 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday.

The Jets enter the Christmas break with back-to-back wins, while the Maple Leafs dropped their second in a row at Scotiabank Arena without wounded captain Auston Matthews, out with an upper-body injury.

Connor scored late in the first period on the power play and early in the second to give the Jets a two-goal lead.

Gabriel Vilardi picked up his second assist of the night with a brilliant pass to Scheifele in front at 3:27 of the third, giving the Jets a 3-1 advantage. Scheifele banged in a loose puck for his 20th midway through the third period and added an empty-netter for his hat trick.

John Tavares scored twice for the Maple Leafs.

Winnipeg out-shot the Leafs 27-25, with Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck making 23 saves before a crowd of 18,923 fans. Joseph Woll stopped 22 shots in the Toronto net.

Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey also notched two assists to reach 30 for the season.

The win avenged the Maple Leafs' 6-4 victory in Winnipeg on Oct. 28, which ended the Jets' eight-game win streak to start the season.

Maple Leafs forward William Nylander extended his point streak to seven games with assists on the Tavares goals.

Takeaways

Toronto: Defender Chris Tanev missed his first game this year with a lower-body ailment after skating in the pre-game warmup.

Winnipeg: As impressive as the Jets (25-10-1) have played before the break, they are only one point ahead of the 36-game pace of 23-9-4 set a year ago.

Key moment

After Jets defenceman Neal Pionk had his shot blocked, the puck bounded to Marner for a breakaway. Pionk hustled back to lift Marner's stick to foil his shot attempt early in the second period to preserve Winnipeg's 2-0 lead.

Key stat

The Maple Leafs have gone 7-4-0 with Matthews on the sidelines this season and 42-23-2 in his career.

Up next

Toronto returns to action after the holiday break on Friday, visiting the Detroit Red Wings. On Saturday, the Jets play host to the Ottawa Senators.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 23, 2024.