Jets skid hits six games as Wild pull away, Central Division roundup

It was a rough night for several Central Division clubs: the Jets’ slide worsened, the Wild created breathing room on top, and the Stars were overwhelmed on home ice.

Wild handle Mammoth in divisional clash

The marquee matchup in the division saw the Minnesota Wild beat the Utah Mammoth 3-1. Sportsnet reports Kirill Kaprizov led the way with a goal and an assist. Minnesota now sits first in the Central at 9-3-2, with 20 points through 14 games. Utah remains in second place with 16 points in 13 outings (8-5-0), unable to close the gap on the leaders.

Jets’ woes deepen, Predators fall in shootout

In Winnipeg, the Jets’ slump turned into a full-on tailspin in a 5-1 loss to the Florida Panthers. According to Sportsnet, Carter Verhaeghe scored twice while Matthew Tkachuk piled up four assists in a one-sided contest at Canada Life Centre. Jets captain Adam Lowry, speaking to Sportsnet, voiced his frustration after what he called relentless mistakes during this sixth straight defeat. Winnipeg stays at 11 points in 12 games (4-5-3), sitting seventh in the Central.

The Nashville Predators at least grabbed a point but lost 4-3 in a shootout to the New York Islanders. Per Sportsnet, Bo Horvat scored in regulation and delivered the shootout winner, while Matthew Schaefer played the entire five-minute overtime and “continues to raise the bar” in his second NHL season. Nashville now has 13 points in 12 games (4-3-5).

Stars stumble, Blues shut out, Blackhawks respond

The Dallas Stars endured a tough 5-1 home loss to the New Jersey Devils. Sportsnet notes that Nico Hischier scored twice and Connor Hellebuyck turned in a strong debut in the Devils’ net. Daily Faceoff adds that Dallas also lost depth defenceman Kyle Capobianco to a lower-body injury during the game. The Stars remain third in the Central with 15 points in 12 games (7-4-1).

The St. Louis Blues were blanked 2-0 at home by the Montreal Canadiens. According to Sportsnet and La Presse, Jacob Fowler stopped 46 shots for the shutout, Zachary Bolduc scored his fifth of the season, and Florian Xhekaj recorded his first NHL goal. St. Louis stays sixth in the division with 11 points in 12 games (5-6-1).

At the bottom of the table, the Chicago Blackhawks gave themselves a small boost with a 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Sportsnet reports Roman Kantserov scored his fifth of the year and Wyatt Kaiser delivered the third-period game-winner. Chicago improves to 4-8-0, up to 8 points on the season.