Wheeler's 5 points helps Jets beat Predators

Blake Wheeler scored two goals and assisted on three others to lead the Winnipeg Jets to a 5-2 victory over the Nashville Predators on Saturday night.

"For us to be successful, you need your best players," Winnipeg interim coach Dave Lowry said. "They stayed with the game. We got down early and we didn't waver. We bent and I really liked the resiliency and I really liked the fact that our top guys dug in and really found a way to win."

Mikael Granlund and Matt Duchene scored, and Juuse Saros made 38 saves for Nashville, which has lost three of four.

With the game tied at two goals apiece midway through the third period, Nashville defenceman Mark Borowiecki was assessed a major penalty for elbowing and a game misconduct after he came into contact with the head of Winnipeg's Evgeny Svechnikov.

Wheeler and Dubois scored on the ensuing power play to earn the win.

"I think we went out there with a lot confidence knowing that was the hockey game," Wheeler said. "We had to bury one. Regardless of the scenario, you get five minutes on the power play with the game on the line, you want to make it count."

Granlund scored the game's first goal at 3:26 of the opening period.

Filip Forsberg carried the puck into the Winnipeg zone and the puck bounced away from him in the high slot. Fortunately for Forsberg, the puck headed right for Granlund above the left circle, where he hammered a one-timer by Hellebuyck for his seventh goal of the season.

Scheifele's goal, a one-timer from the left faceoff dot, came with the teams skating 4-on-4. He has scored in three straight games.

Entering Saturday, Nashville was 17-0-0 this season when leading after the first period.

Connor made it 2-2 at 9:58 of the second with a power-play goal. The goal was also Connor's 300th career NHL point.

Wheeler added an empty-net goal with just over three minutes remaining. Wheeler had two goals on the season prior to Saturday.

It was the second career five-point game for Wheeler.