Winnipeg Jets centre Gabriel Vilardi (13) scores a goal against Colorado Avalanche goaltender Ivan Prosvetov (50) as Ross Colton (20) and Logan O'Connor (25) defend during first period NHL action in Winnipeg on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods
WINNIPEG – Gabriel Vilardi scored twice and Alex Iafallo broke an 18-game goal-scoring drought as the Winnipeg Jets defeated the Colorado Avalanche 6-2 on Saturday.
Iafallo also had an assist that halted a 13-game pointless skid. Vladislav Namestnikov and Nikolaj Ehlers each had a goal and assist, Nino Niederreiter scored and Josh Morrissey and Mark Scheifele both recorded a pair of helpers.
The Jets (18-9-2), who have won six of their past seven games, also set a franchise record by holding opponents to two or less goals in seven consecutive games.
Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves for Winnipeg, which started a four-game homestand at Canada Life Centre in front of 13,515 fans.
Jonathan Drouin and Jack Johnson scored for the Avalanche (18-1-2). Nathan MacKinnon picked up a pair of assists to extend his point streak to 14 games. He has six goals and 17 helpers in that span.
Ivan Prosvetov stopped 19 shots in his 10th game of the season for Colorado, which made defenceman Cale Makar a late scratch with a lower-body injury.
The Jets led 2-0 after the first period and 3-0 following the second.
Vilardi scored at 13:56 of the opening frame after a quick pass across the front of the net from Scheifele gave him an open side to pop the puck into when Prosvetov couldn’t slide over fast enough.
Namestnikov made it 2-0 on the power play less than two minutes later with a deep-bending, straight-on shot from the slot. It broke a Winnipeg stretch of 0-for-17 with the man advantage.
The Avalanche went on the power play late in the period but came up empty.
Winnipeg couldn’t capitalize on a power play eight seconds into the second period, but Iafallo benefited from a bad Colorado pass attempt and scored at 8:43.
Avalanche defenceman Caleb Jones tried to make a long pass from behind the net, but Iafallo picked it off and used a high backhand shot to beat Prosvetov. Jones angrily smashed his stick on the crossbar.
Colorado went on the power play early in the third and Drouin used a rebound off the end boards and directed the puck into the side of the net at 2:07.
Vilardi notched his second of the game a minute-and-a-half after Drouin’s marker and Niederreiter scored his eighth of the season at 8:48.
Johnson’s wrist shot just under two minutes later made it 5-2 and Ehlers finished off the scoring into an empty net at 17:57.
NOTES
MacKinnon played his 739th game with the Avalanche, tying him for fifth place for most games in franchise history with long-term injured teammate Gabriel Landeskog. “¦ The Jets celebrated South Asian Heritage night, highlighting athletes from the community for the ceremonial puck drop, while a youth choir sang the Canadian anthem in English and Punjabi – a first at a major professional sporting event.
UP NEXT
Avalanche: Host the San Jose Sharks Sunday night.
Jets: Host the Montreal Canadiens Monday night.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 16, 2023.
