WINNIPEG, Manitoba (Interstat) — The Winnipeg Jets delivered a decisive 4-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night at Canada Life Centre. Mark Scheifele led the Jets with a goal and an assist, while Kyle Connor added a goal and an assist. Connor Hellebuyck made 26 saves for the win. Winnipeg broke open a scoreless game with two second-period goals from Morgan Barron and Scheifele. Gustav Nyquist and Connor scored in the third period to seal the win. Tampa Bay’s lone reply came from Brayden Point midway through the final frame. The Lightning, who entered as heavy favorites, fell to 38-22. The Jets improved to 25-36.

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (Interstat) — The Winnipeg Jets, fueled by a balanced offensive attack and a stalwart performance from goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, delivered a decisive 4-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night at Canada Life Centre. The result defied pregame projections, as the Jets, despite their sub-.500 record, outplayed a Lightning squad that entered the contest as significant favorites. National Statistical’s game simulator had projected a Tampa Bay win by a 4-2 margin, and its ELO system gave the Lightning a 61.6 percent probability of victory. The Jets’ win also sent the total score of five over the betting over/under line of 5.5. After a scoreless and tightly contested first period that saw both Hellebuyck and Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy turn aside all challenges, the Jets broke through in the second. Winnipeg opened the scoring at the 10:31 mark of the middle frame. Morgan Barron, the 6-foot-4 center from Halifax, Nova Scotia, collected a pass from Cole Koepke and fired a wrist shot past Vasilevskiy for his ninth goal of the season. Tanner Pearson recorded the secondary assist. The Jets doubled their lead late in the period with a power-play goal. With Tampa Bay’s Brandon Hagel serving a tripping minor, Winnipeg’s top unit went to work. Alex Iafallo fed the puck to Kyle Connor at the left circle, who then dished across to Mark Scheifele. The Jets’ center from Kitchener, Ontario, unleashed a powerful slap shot for his 29th goal of the year at 18:42, giving Winnipeg a 2-0 lead heading into the second intermission. Winnipeg extended its dominance early in the third period. Just over five minutes in, a persistent forecheck led to a turnover and a quick passing sequence. Jonathan Toews and Tanner Pearson combined to set up Gustav Nyquist in the slot, and the Swedish winger snapped a wrist shot home for his first goal as a Jet, making it 3-0 at 5:34. Tampa Bay finally solved Hellebuyck on a power play of its own later in the third. With Winnipeg defenseman Elias Salomonsson in the box for high-sticking, the Lightning’s potent power play connected. Jake Guentzel and Darren Raddysh set up Brayden Point for a wrist shot from the right circle, cutting the deficit to 3-1 at 13:52 for his 15th goal. Any hope of a Lightning comeback was extinguished in the final minutes. With Vasilevskiy pulled for an extra attacker, the Jets sealed the victory with an empty-net goal. Scheifele intercepted a clearing attempt in the neutral zone and immediately sent Kyle Connor in alone. The winger from Clinton, Michigan, calmly deposited the puck into the vacant net for his 28th goal at 18:59, assisted by Scheifele and Iafallo, to produce the final 4-1 margin. Connor Hellebuyck was instrumental in the win, stopping 26 of the 27 shots he faced. His counterpart, Andrei Vasilevskiy, made 36 saves on 39 shots in the losing effort. The Jets’ victory was a collective effort. Mark Scheifele, named the game’s top star, led the way with a goal and an assist, extending his point streak. Kyle Connor also posted a goal and an assist, while Alex Iafallo contributed two assists. The defensive pairing of Dylan DeMelo and Josh Morrissey, along with a physical effort from the forward lines, effectively limited Tampa Bay’s high-powered attack for much of the night. The loss continued a recent slide for the Lightning, who have now dropped three of their last four games. Their record falls to 38 wins and 22 losses. Winnipeg, meanwhile, improved to 25 wins and 36 losses, earning a measure of revenge for a 4-1 loss in Tampa on Jan. 29. Tampa Bay continues its road trip with a matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. The Jets will remain at home to host the Vancouver Canucks, also on Saturday.

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (Interstat) — The Tampa Bay Lightning, one of the NHL’s top teams, visit the struggling Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night in a clash of clubs on opposite trajectories. The Lightning (38-20) arrive at Canada Life Centre looking to rebound from a 6-2 home loss to Buffalo on Saturday. Despite that setback, Tampa Bay has won seven of its last 10 games and sits comfortably in playoff position. The Jets (23-36), meanwhile, are near the bottom of the league standings and are coming off a 2-1 overtime loss in San Jose on Sunday. Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman is a key player to watch. He logged a goal and an assist in the loss to Buffalo and has been a consistent offensive threat from the blue line. For Winnipeg, forward Morgan Barron scored the Jets’ lone goal in San Jose and will be relied upon to provide energy and secondary scoring. The Lightning won the previous meeting this season, 4-1 in Tampa on Jan. 29. Winnipeg has managed to secure points in three of its last four games, including two overtime losses, showing recent signs of competitiveness. Tampa Bay’s potent offense, which has averaged over four goals per game in its recent wins, will test a Jets team that has struggled to keep pucks out of its net. Winnipeg will need a strong performance from goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, who made 31 saves in the overtime loss to the Sharks, to contain the Lightning attack. This game opens a critical three-game road trip for Tampa Bay before returning home. Winnipeg begins a four-game homestand, seeking to build momentum before a difficult stretch of schedule later in March. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. Central at Canada Life Centre.