Nashville Predators' Ryan O'Reilly (90) scores on Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) during the shootout of their NHL hockey game in Winnipeg, Tuesday March 17, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Greenslade

By The Canadian Press

Jets forced lone referee to work overtime, lose 4-3 in shootout to Predators

Mar 18, 2026 | 2:00 AM

WINNIPEG — The Winnipeg Jets and Nashville Predators had a lot of ice to cover at Canada Life Centre on Tuesday night.

So did the lone man in stripes.

When veteran NHL referee Chris Lee was unable to make it to Winnipeg owing to weather and travel issues, the game was played under a rare emergency protocol, with just one referee and two linesmen.

Jets head coach Scott Arniel said he got the heads-up from general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff hours before puck drop.

“Chris Lee got stuck with the weather and couldn’t get in, so we knew it was coming,” Arniel said following the Jets’ 4-3 shootout loss. “I just told our team, just before the game, that it’s going to be a three-man referee situation, let’s not get all bent out of shape if a call gets missed or anything happens. They’re going to try and be at their best.”

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That left referee Brandon Schrader tasked with calling a fast-paced, physical Central Division clash by himself — an exhausting end-to-end marathon that hasn’t been the NHL standard in more than two decades, when they used to routinely run with a one-man referee system.

The NHL started transitioning to the two-referee system during the 1998-99 season. The league implemented the change gradually over two seasons, before officially requiring two referees for every game beginning in the 2000-01 season.

Operating without a partner creates significant blind spots, particularly with play away from the puck. While linesmen take care of icings, offsides, and too-many-men penalties, they’re limited in what else they can do, including calling any other type of minor infractions.

Despite the potential for the game to turn into a clutch-and-grab affair, the chaos was kept to a minimum.

“At the end of the day, you saw him, he had to do a lot of skating, from end to end, and he did a good job,” Arniel said of Schrader’s solo effort. “We did talk at the beginning. I think both benches were pretty good (at not taking advantage). There were a few more opportunities for penalties to be called, but at the end of the day, I think you just respect the fact there’s just one guy there.”

Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi echoed his coach’s sympathy for the physical toll the solo assignment demanded.

“Yeah, it’s tough for him. It’s not really an adjustment for us but it’s a hard job for him,” Vilardi said. “He’s got to skate a lot more. You got guys yelling at you all the time so I kind of feel for him. I thought he did a good job. No real adjustments for players … maybe just try to be nicer to the guy.”

When asked if players felt they could get away with more rough stuff behind the play, Vilardi shrugged it off. After all, Winnipeg had four power plays, compared to Nashville’s one.

“Yeah, maybe, I don’t know,” Vilardi said. “But we had four power plays, so I don’t know.”

The Jets capitalized one of those man-advantages, with Vilardi scoring in the second period to snap a dismal 1-for-14 slump in the previous seven games on the team’s homestand.

Winnipeg managed to salvage a point when Jonathan Toews scored with 1:01 remaining in regulation to force overtime. But after a scoreless extra frame where the Jets outshot the Predators 4-2, Ryan O’Reilly scored the lone goal in the shootout to seal the game for Nashville.

The Jets finished their eight-game homestand with a 5-2-1 record.

“I think it could have been, should have been 6-2-0,” Arniel said. “We talked about the importance of it because this could have went the other way and we could have said, ‘we are done.’

“I think this continues to give us hope and something to continue to build off. At the end of the day, I liked the fact we did a lot of good things through this homestand.”

NOTES: Toews’ game-tying goal was his eighth marker of the season. … Josh Morrissey scored his 12th goal of the year and his 418th career point. … Kyle Connor registered three assists, extending his point streak to four games, with three goals and four assists for seven points. … Predators goaltender Juuse Saros added to his reputation as the busiest goalie in the NHL, adding to his league-leading totals in shots faced (1,454) and saves made (1,301), across 51 appearances. … With the win, the Predators (30-28-9) are two points up on the Jets (28-28-11) in the Western Conference standings, with both clubs chasing a playoff spot.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 18, 2026.

Jeff Hamilton, The Canadian Press