Ehlers becomes greatest NHL Dane, Jets hang on, and more: 3 reasons why Winnipeg Jets won 7-4 against Tampa Bay Lightning

The Winnipeg Jets continued rolling, defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning 7-4 on Sunday night. The Jets traded leads with the Bolts throughout the game, eventually pulling away with two empty-net goals.

Vladislav Namestnikov, Logan Stanley, Mark Scheifele, Alex Iafallo, Dylan Samberg, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Cole Perfetti scored for the Winnipeg Jets. As for the Bolts, Brandon Hagel, Brayden Point, Mitchell Chaffee, and Nikita Kucherov scored in the losing effort.

So, let’s take a look at the three reasons why the Winnipeg Jets beat the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday night.

3 reasons why Winnipeg Jets won against Tampa Bay Lightning

#3. The Jets took advantage of Point injury

The Bolts jumped out to a 2-0 lead early in the game. Brayden Point scored a power-play goal less than two minutes after Brandon Hagel opened the scoring in the first. However, Point appeared to have sustained a lower-body injury and left the game after playing roughly three minutes in the first period.

Point’s injury removed the Bolts’ top center, leaving the club shorthanded for the rest of the game. While the Bolts managed to tie the game at four early in the third period, Point’s absence affected the Lightning’s overall offensive output, giving the Winnipeg Jets an opportunity to wrestle the lead away for good midway through the third.

#2. The Jets locked the game down in the third

After Samberg’s goal at 7:38 of the third gave the Jets a 5-4 lead, the Jets locked the game down. Winnipeg played a strong defensive game the rest of the way, stifling the Bolts’ attempts to tie the game late in the third. Eventually, the Jets got two empty-net goals late in the game to ice the win.

The strong defensive effort down the stretch was crucial as the Winnipeg Jets have not won many close games this season. While Winnipeg won Sunday night’s contest by three goals, the game was essentially a one-goal contest for much of the night.

#1. Ehlers continues hot streak

Nikolaj Ehlers continued his hot streak, adding a goal and an assist against the Lightning. Ehlers assisted on Logan Stanley’s second-period goal. Then, Ehlers scored the first empty-net tally, giving him eight goals on the season.

As it stands, Ehlers has now run up his point total to 17 in 12 games. Ehlers trails teammate Kyle Connor by two points. Connor extended his point streak with an assist on Sunday night. Both players are within striking distance of the current NHL leaders, with Connor two points off the league lead. Ehlers is four points back, and gaining ground.

Ehlers' two-point performance gave him 474 for his career, moving him into first place among Danish-born NHLers, surpassing Franz Nielsen.

The Jets will take a day off on Monday before locking horns with the Utah Hockey Club on Tuesday night.