WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Cole Perfetti achieved his first NHL hat trick by scoring three goals, leading the Winnipeg Jets to a 5-2 victory over the Utah Hockey Club on Friday evening.

Nikolaj Ehlers contributed significantly with one goal and two assists, marking a milestone of 500 career points. David Gustafsson also made a notable contribution with one goal, while goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 17 saves throughout the match.

For Utah, Barrett Hayton and Nick Schmaltz were the goal scorers, with Connor Ingram handling 25 shots on goal.

Perfetti put the Jets ahead 3-2 when he skillfully lifted the puck over the prone Ingram, following a pass from Vladislav Namestnikov at the 5:51 mark of the third period. Ehlers then scored on a breakaway with 7:44 remaining, further extending his milestone by assisting on Perfetti’s empty-net goal which capped the hat trick with just 1:45 left on the clock.

Perfetti commenced the scoring spree by netting a one-timer past Ingram with only 2:08 remaining in the first period. Utah managed to bounce back and equalize when Schmaltz redirected a shot from Michael Kesselring into the net just 1:13 into the second period.

Gustafsson took advantage of a fortunate bounce off the boards from a shot by Dylan DeMelo, pulling Ingram out of position to score into an open net at the 8:48 mark of the second period. However, Hayton quickly responded, bringing the score to a 2-2 tie by scoring just 1:19 into the third period.

**Takeaways**
For Utah, the team leaned heavily on Ingram, who was forced to make numerous saves as the Jets maintained a consistent offensive onslaught. Fatigue may have set in during the third period, particularly after their prior game in Minnesota.

On the other hand, the Jets came out aggressively, which paid off as struggling forwards found the net. They maintained pressure even after Utah tied the game early in the final period.

**Key Moment**
A pivotal moment in the game occurred when Ehlers intercepted the puck at his blue line and raced down the ice for a breakaway. He successfully scored with a backhander, giving the Jets a 4-2 lead with just over seven minutes left in regulation.

**Key Stat**
Perfetti’s hat trick ended a lengthy 14-game scoring drought, marking a significant return to form.

**Up Next**
The Utah team will travel to Ottawa for their next match on Sunday, while the Jets will host the Calgary Flames.