Gabriel Vilardi picks on ex-team as Jets top Kings

Field Level Media|published: Thu 14th December, 01:21 2023

Dec 13, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Kings left wing Kevin Fiala (22) plays for the puck against Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dylan Samberg (54) during the second period at Crypto.com Arena. credits: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Gabriel Vilardi produced a goal and three assists against his former team and the visiting Winnipeg Jets rallied for a 5-2 victory Wednesday over the Los Angeles Kings.

Nikolaj Ehlers and Mark Scheifele each scored two goals for the Jets, who came back from a two-goal deficit. It was the first career four-point game for Vilardi, who was acquired from the Kings in a June trade.

Ehlers added two assists and Scheifele had one helper.

Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves for the Jets, who won for the fifth time in six games. Winnipeg was without Kyle Connor (17 goals, 28 points) for the second consecutive game because of a knee injury that is expected to sideline him at least six weeks.

Anze Kopitar and Alex Laferriere scored goals for the Kings, who are on a season-worst, three-game losing streak (0-2-1). Cam Talbot stopped 24 shots for Los Angeles, while Pierre-Luc Dubois had an assist against his former team.

The Kings won their first 11 road games, but they are just 5-5-3 at home.

Los Angeles took a 1-0 lead in the first period. Kopitar found a loose puck in front of the Jets' goal and scored his 11th of the season, his team-leading fourth power-play goal.

Laferriere made it 2-0 at 12:29 of the opening period. He took a shot from a sharp angle to the right of goal and saw the puck bounce off Hellebuyck's helmet for his third of the season.

The Jets started their comeback at 6:08 of the second period when Ehlers scored the first of two consecutive goals off primary assists from Vilardi. The second of those scores tied the score 2-2 at 13:19 of the second and gave Ehlers nine goals on the season.

Scheifele gave the Jets a 3-2 lead with the team's third goal in an 8:52 stretch when he beat Talbot on a wraparound.

Vilardi scored his goal at 2:30 of the third period. He flipped a quick backhand shot over Talbot's left shoulder for his second of the season in 10 games after missing time with a knee injury.

Scheifele, who passed Connor for the team points lead, scored an empty-net goal with 1.3 seconds remaining, his 11th.

—Field Level Media

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