TORONTO (AP) — 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. Gabriel Vilardi added three assists. Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck made 23 saves.
Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey had two assists to reach 30 for the season.
John Tavares scored twice for the Maple Leafs, and Joseph Woll stopped 22 shots. Maple Leafs forward William Nylander extended his point streak to seven games with assists on both of 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 defenseman Neal Pionk had his shot blocked, the puck bounded to Mitch 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 host the Ottawa Senators.
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