John Tavares had a hat trick and Max Pacioretty chipped in three assists in a 6-4 Toronto Maple Leafs’ victory Monday that ended the Winnipeg Jets’ reign as the only unbeaten NHL team.
Winnipeg had opened the season with a franchise-record eight consecutive victories.
The Maple Leafs snapped a three-game winless skid in front of Winnipeg’s first sellout crowd of the season at Canada Life Centre. Many of the 15,325 fans cheered loudly while sporting Toronto jerseys.
William Nylander had a goal and two assists and Matthew Knies and Morgan Rielly also scored for Toronto. Pacioretty’s helpers came after he was moved from the fourth line to the second for the game.
Anthony Stolarz made 19 saves for the Maple Leafs.
Kyle Connor had a hat trick and added an assist for the Jets, extending his point streak to nine games — nine goals, five assists. That mark set a franchise-record for longest point streak to start a season, which had been held by former captain Blake Wheeler since the 2015-2016 season.
Mark Scheifele picked up a goal and assist and Josh Morrissey contributed three assists. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 30 shots for Winnipeg.
Toronto led 2-0 after the first period and 5-2 heading into the third.
Scheifele recorded his sixth goal at 7:36 to make it 5-3 and Connor fired in his third with 3:47 remaining. Tavares shot one into the empty net with 25 seconds left.