Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) makes a save on Nashville Predators' Ozzy Wiesblatt (89) as Dylan Samberg (54) defends during the second period of their NHL hockey game in Winnipeg, Tuesday March 17, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Greenslade

By The Canadian Press

Predators pounce in shootout to edge Jets 4-3

Mar 17, 2026 | 8:08 PM

WINNIPEG — Ryan O’Reilly scored the lone goal in the shootout to lift the Nashville Predators to a 4-3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets at Canada Life Centre on Tuesday.

O’Reilly beat Connor Hellebuyck to the glove side in the first round of the shootout. Predators’ netminder Juuse Saros secured the win by stopping Gabriel Vilardi, Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor.

Matthew Wood, Filip Forsberg, and Eric Haula scored in regulation for Nashville (30-28-9). Jonathan Marchessault chipped in with two assists. Saros made 36 saves.

Jonathan Toews forced overtime for Winnipeg, tying the game 3-3 at 18:59 of the third period.

Josh Morrissey and Vilardi also scored in regulation for the Jets (28-28-11). Kyle Connor contributed three assists to extend his point streak to four games, while Scheifele assisted on the game-tying marker. Hellebuyck stopped 20 shots.

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Winnipeg outshot Nashville 4-2 in an eventful overtime but couldn’t find the winner.

The contest was notably officiated by a single referee after Chris Lee was unable to attend due to travel issues.

TAKEAWAYS

Jets: The power play finally clicked against Nashville, breaking out of a 1-for-14 slump that plagued the first seven games of the homestand. The unit went 1-for-4 on the night.

Predators: The club successfully injected youth into the lineup with six rookies, leaning on them in pivotal moments. Wood netted a go-ahead goal in the third period, while rookie defenceman Ryan Ufko picked up an assist on Forsberg’s second-period tally.

KEY MOMENT

With Hellebuyck pulled for the extra attacker, Toews buried his eighth goal of the season with just 1:01 remaining in regulation to erase a 3-2 deficit, securing a hard-fought point for Winnipeg and sending the game to overtime.

KEY STAT

The Winnipeg Jets wrapped up their season-high eight-game homestand with a 5-2-1 record. The Jets fell short of winning a third game against the Predators, which would have been their first season sweep against Nashville since Winnipeg got their team back in 2011.

UP NEXT

Predators: Host the Seattle Kraken on Thursday.

Jets: Visit the Boston Bruins on Thursday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 17, 2026.

Jeff Hamilton, The Canadian Press