It was too good to be true. The Nashville Predators [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators]had some momentum with a two-game win streak after sweeping their two-game road trip in Detroit and Chicago. As has often been the case this season, any signs that the Preds may be figuring things out went up in smoke Saturday, as the Winnipeg Jets [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/winnipeg-jets]brought them back to earth with a 5-2 loss at Bridgestone Arena. The victory snapped a four-game losing skid for the Jets, who were coming off a 5-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/carolina-hurricanes]the night before. Gabriel Vilardi, Nino Niederreiter (2) Cole Perfetti and Kyle Connor had the Jets' tallies, while Nick Blankenburg and Luke Evangelista got the only goals for the Predators. The Jets wasted no time striking first. Vilardi scored just 47 seconds into the contest. Former Pred Nino Niederreiter tallied in the final minute of the opening frame for a 2-0 Winnipeg lead. Cole Perfetti then added his second goal of the season for a 3-0 score before Nick Blankenburg finally got the Preds on the board to trim the deficit to 3-1. Luke Evangelista made it a one-goal game for a 3-2 Jets lead, but Kyle Connor squashed any hopes of a Nashville comeback for a 4-2 Jets advantage. Niederreiter added an empty-netter for his second of the night against his former team and the 5-2 final. Tempers flared in the opening frame, as Ozzy Wiesblatt and the Jets' Colin Miller each were sent off for roughing. Michael McCarron and Logan Stanley dropped the gloves for the second time this season. Each were assessed two-minute roughing and five-minute fighting penalties. McCarron played sparingly following the fight. After the game, head coach Andrew Brunette called McCarron "day-to-day." Eric Comrie picked up the victory in net, stopping 23 of the 25 shots he faced. Justus Annunen got the start on the second night of a back-to-back, making 20 saves on 24 shots for the loss. Here are three takeaways from the game. THE EARLY OPPOSING GOALS AT HOME CONTINUE. Nick Blankenburg and Luke Evangelista address the media following the Nashville Predators' 5-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025. Courtesy of the Nashville Predators What is it about opponents being able to score within the first minute on the Preds’ home ice? For the third consecutive home game, the Preds are still trying to solve that mystery. After allowing a goal in the first 11 seconds against the Florida Panthers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers]and 15 seconds playing host to the Colorado Avalanche [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/colorado-avalanche], the Jets struck 47 seconds into Saturday’s contest. Gabriel Vilardi put in a give-and-go from Mark Scheifele for a 1-0 Jets lead. If that wasn’t enough, two former Preds got together for Winnipeg’s second goal. Nino Niederreiter scored in the last minute of the frame for a 2-0 advantage, with Luke Schenn earning the assist. Dylan Samburg picked up secondary assists on both goals. Those lapses that have been a thorn in the Preds’ side bookended the opening frame. Giving up goals at the beginning or end of a game or period often leads to trouble, and that hurt the Preds again on Saturday. SCORING ON HOME ICE CONTINUES TO ELUDE THE PREDS. Speaking of troubles on home ice, the Preds once again had issues getting on the board at Bridgestone Arena. They managed three against the defending Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers Nov. 24, but were blanked by Colorado in the previous matchup. Coming into the Jets game, the Preds have been outscored by their opponents at home 49-34. Two goals were not enough for Nashville Saturday. They've been hard to come by regardless of venue (opponents have an 92-63 advantage overall), but it's especially disappointing that the Preds aren't giving their home fans more to cheer about. BLANKENBURG AND EVANGELISTA ARE ON A ROLL. Nov 29, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators defenseman Nick Blankenburg (37) celebrates with right wing Luke Evangelista (77) after scoring a goal against the Winnipeg Jets during the second period at Bridgestone Arena. Steve Roberts-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/6012091c-e7f0-4b20-8fbc-417bd0b6574e.jpeg] Nov 29, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators defenseman Nick Blankenburg (37) celebrates with right wing Luke Evangelista (77) after scoring a goal against the Winnipeg Jets during the second period at Bridgestone Arena. Steve Roberts-Imagn Images Nick Blankenburg has been a bright spot for the Predators of late. He came into Saturday’s game sporting a three-game point streak, with two goals and two assists for four points during that span. He reached double digits in points for the third time in his career after getting an assist against the Chicago Blackhawks [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/chicago-blackhawks]on Friday. Blankenburg extended that streak Saturday, getting the Preds on the board against the Jets at 17:02 of the middle frame on a power play after Logan Stanley went off for hooking. Every team needs a Swiss Army Knife kind of player, and Blankenburg is filling that role lately for the Predators. He can play forward, defense and on special teams and has been a spark for Nashville over the last four games. He isn't the only one on a recent streak, as Luke Evangelista looks to be finding his own rhythm. He got the Preds to within a goal at the 2:45 mark of the third, a backhander past the shoulder of Comrie. Erik Haula and Roman Josi got assists on the play. After missing training camp before signing a two-year, $6 million contract, Evangelista has picked up the pace after getting off to a slow start. He now has six points over his last four games. Neither Blankenburg nor Evangelista are expected to score at a superstar's pace, which means the others need to step up more consistently.
