Winnipeg sports news: the Winnipeg Jets lead the Tampa Bay Lightning 3 to 1 late in the third period at Canada Life Centre on Sunday night, and a third straight win is six and a half minutes away if the Jets can close it out.
By Maplestime Sports Desk | Winnipeg, Manitoba | November 8, 2026
Sources: Sportradar live scoreboard | Last updated: November 8, 2026
Key Takeaways
- Winnipeg leads Tampa Bay 3 to 1 late in the third period, with 6:26 left on the clock at last check
- Brayden Yager scored on the power play at 11:50 left in the third, assisted by Viggo Bjorck and Alex Iafallo, to make it 3 to 0
- Brandon Hagel answered for Tampa Bay at 9:38 left in the third, assisted by Anthony Cirelli, to cut the lead to 3 to 1
- Cole Perfetti opened the scoring on the power play at 1:53 of the second period, and Morgan Barron made it 2 to 0 with a slap shot at 7:22 left in the second
- Stuart Skinner had stopped all 15 shots he faced through the first 6:19 of the third before Hagel beat him
Yager Stretches the Lead, Then Hagel Answers
The third period stayed scoreless until Winnipeg went back to the power play. Yager, recalled from the Manitoba Moose on November 5 and skating between Perfetti and Dawson Mercer tonight, finished a snap shot at 11:50 left in the period, with Bjorck and Iafallo picking up the assists. The goal came on a four minute power play after Yager took a stick to the face that drew blood earlier in the period, and the team has given no update yet on his condition.
Tampa Bay did not wait long to respond. Hagel beat Skinner with a wrist shot at 9:38 left, with Cirelli setting it up, and the shutout was gone. Kyle Connor nearly restored the three goal cushion moments before that, but Vasilevskiy turned aside his slap shot at 10:49 left.
How Winnipeg Built the Lead
The first period ended scoreless, with both goalies sharp and neither side giving up much. Winnipeg broke through early in the second. Perfetti finished a power play snap shot at 1:53 of the period, with Mark Scheifele and Haydn Fleury picking up the assists, after Max Crozier took a holding minor drawn by Adam Lowry.
Barron made it 2 to 0 with 7:22 left in the second, beating Vasilevskiy with a slap shot set up by Neal Pionk and Bjorck. Winnipeg carried that lead into the second intermission, and Skinner held it through the opening minutes of the third before the two third period goals traded.
What Comes Next
The Jets came into tonight at 6-8-3, winners of two straight after a nine game winless run, and a win here would make it three in a row. Josh Morrissey is out tonight after Scott Arniel ruled him out following the morning skate, so the defence has had to dig in without its top defenceman.
Tampa Bay entered the night at 11-3-2, one of the best records in the league, and the Lightning have the firepower to erase a two goal lead in a hurry, with Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point leading the attack. Winnipeg needs to keep the Lightning power play quiet, stay out of the box, and protect the puck in the final minutes. The next goal decides how tense the rest of this night gets.
Maplestime will provide updates from the Jets and Lightning game as the third period plays out tonight.
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Do you think the Jets hold this 3 to 1 lead and make it three straight wins, or does Tampa Bay still have a comeback in them? Tell us in the comments. And share this with every Jets fan following the game tonight.
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