Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kirill Marchenko (86) reaches for the puck in front of Winnipeg Jets forward Cole Perfetti (91) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Columbus, Ohio, Saturday, April 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Paul Vernon)

By The Canadian Press

Connor scores twice, Jets beat Blue Jackets 2-1 to stay in playoff hunt

Apr 4, 2026 | 6:45 PM

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Kyle Connor scored twice and the Winnipeg Jets overcame an early deficit to beat Columbus 2-1 on Saturday night, keeping their NHL playoff holes alive and sending the Blue Jackets to their sixth straight loss.

Winnipeg moved to 78 points, a point out of the final wild-card berth in the crowded Western Conference.

Connor tied it with 1:46 left in the second period, and scored the winner with 9:02 left in the third. He has 36 goals this season. Mark Scheifele had his 59th and 60th assists, and Connor Hellebuyck made 15 saves.

Ivan Provorov scored for Columbus, which has lost four straight at home and remains outside the Eastern Conference wild-card picture. Jet Greaves stopped 23 shots.

Provorov scored on Columbus’s first shot 1:17 into the game. It was the Blue Jackets’ 57th goal by a defenceman this season, a franchise record.

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Columbus then went more than 25 minutes without another shot as Winnipeg took control.

UP NEXT

Jets: Host the Seattle Kraken on Monday.

Blue Jackets: Visit the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday.

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Nicole Kraft, The Associated Press