Perfetti gets 1st career hat trick, Ehlers reaches 500 career points as Jets beat Utah 5-2

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Utah Hockey Club goaltender Connor Ingram, right, who got stuck behind his net, dives to try save a shot by Winnipeg Jets’ David Gustafsson, upper left, during second-period NHL hockey game action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Utah Hockey Club goaltender Connor Ingram (39) saves a shot by Winnipeg Jets’ Alex Iafallo (9) as Utah’s Olli Maatta (2) defends during first-period NHL hockey game action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Winnipeg Jets’ Dylan Samberg (54) and Utah Hockey Club’s Logan Cooley (92) collide during first-period NHL hockey game action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Utah Hockey Club goaltender Connor Ingram (39) clears a shot by Winnipeg Jets’ Gabriel Vilardi (13) during first-period NHL hockey game action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Utah Hockey Club’s Juuso Valimaki (4) defends as goaltender Connor Ingram (39) saves the shot from Winnipeg Jets’ Morgan Barron (36) during first period NHL action in Winnipeg on Friday, January 24, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Utah Hockey Club’s Lawson Crouse (67) and Jack McBain (22) defend against Winnipeg Jets’ Mason Appleton (22) and Rasmus Kupari (15) during first-period NHL hockey game action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) saves a shot as Jets’ Dylan Samberg, right, defends against Utah Hockey Club’s Nick Bjugstad (17) during second-period NHL hockey game action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Winnipeg Jets’ Rasmus Kupari (15) and Utah Hockey Club’s John Marino (6) and Nick Bjugstad (17) go for the puck during second-period NHL hockey game action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Utah Hockey Club’s Josh Doan (91), Clayton Keller (9), Nick Schmaltz (8), Logan Cooley (92) and Michael Kesselring (7) celebrate after Schmaltz’s goal against the Winnipeg Jets during second-period NHL hockey game action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) saves a shot by Utah Hockey Club’s Barrett Hayton (27) as Jets’ Dylan DeMelo (2) defends during second-period NHL hockey game action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) saves a deflected shot by Utah Hockey Club’s Nick Bjugstad (17) as Jets’ Dylan Samberg (54) and Neal Pionk (4) defend during second-period NHL hockey game action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Utah Hockey Club’s Nick Schmaltz (8) scores against the Winnipeg Jets during second-period NHL hockey game action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Utah Hockey Club’s Nick Schmaltz (8) and Logan Cooley (92) celebrate after Schmaltz’s goal against the Winnipeg Jets during second-period NHL hockey game action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Cole Perfetti scored three goals for his first NHL hat trick and the Winnipeg Jets beat the Utah Hockey Club 5-2 on Friday night.

Nikolaj Ehlers had a goal and two assists to reach 500 points for his career, and David Gustafsson also scored for Winnipeg. Connor Hellebuyck had 17 saves.

Barrett Hayton and Nick Schmaltz scored for Utah, and Connor Ingram stopped 25 shots.

Perfetti gave Winnipeg a 3-2 when he lifted the puck over a fallen Ingram on a pass from Vladislav Namestnikov at 5:51 of the third.

Ehlers scored on a breakaway with 7:44 left, and he reached the 500-point mark with an assist on Perfetti’s empty-net goal that completed his hat trick with 1:45 to go.

Perfetti opened the scoring with a one-timer past Ingram with 2:08 left in the first period.

Utah tied it as Schmaltz deflected Michael Kesselring’s point shot past Hellebuyck at 1:13 of the second.

Gustafsson took advantage of a bad bounce off the boards on a shot by Dylan DeMelo that drew Ingram out of position and fired the puck into an open net at 8:48.

Hayton tied it 2-2 at 1:19 of the third.

Takeaways

Utah: Utah relied on Ingram to make many saves as the Jets just kept firing and managed to score on their rare chances. They may have tired in the third after playing in Minnesota on Thursday night.

Jets: Winnipeg came out firing pucks and it paid off with a pair of slumping forwards scoring. They kept the pressure on, even after Utah tied the score early in the third period.

Key moment

Ehlers stole the puck at his own blue line and raced down the ice on a breakaway and beat Ingram by sliding in a backhand with little more than seven minutes left in regulation to give Winnipeg a 4-2 lead.

Key stat

Perfetti snapped a 14-game scoring slump.

Up Next

Utah visits Ottawa on Sunday, and Jets host Calgary.

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AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL