Gabriel Vilardi powers Jets past Avalanche

Gabriel Vilardi scored twice as the Winnipeg Jets defeated the visiting Colorado Avalanche 6-2 on Saturday night.

Nikolaj Ehlers, Alex Iafallo and Vladislav Namestnikov each had a goal and an assist, while Josh Morrissey and Mark Scheifele had two assists apiece. Nino Niederreiter also scored for Winnipeg, while Neal Pionk and Mason Appleton added assists. Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves.

Jonathan Drouin and Jack Johnson scored for Colorado. Nathan MacKinnon notched two assists, while Mikko Rantanen and Valeri Nichushkin had one assist each. Ivan Prosvetov stopped 19 shots.

The Jets got on the board first with 6:04 remaining in the first period. Scheifele reeled in a pass from inside the circle and found Vilardi, who chipped it in, putting the Jets ahead 1-0.

Winnipeg grew its lead later in the first on the power play. Iafallo dished the puck to Namestnikov, who scored at 15:38 to make it 2-0.

The Jets added to their margin at 8:43 in the second period. Caleb Jones turned the puck over from behind the net. Iafallo corralled the turnover and backhanded it past Prosvetov.

Colorado broke the shutout at 2:07 in the third period. Drouin, on the man advantage, shot the puck over Hellebuyck's pad from the corner to cut the Avalanche's deficit to 3-1.

Winnipeg regained its three-goal lead 1:37 later. Vilardi finished a rebound from Ehlers, sliding the puck over the goal line to increase the Jets' lead to 4-1.

Niederreiter scored off a one-timer at the 8:48 mark that increased the lead to 5-1 after Namestnikov opened up the ice with a nice pass.

Colorado got its second of the game at the 10:41 mark, with Johnson scoring on a wrist shot to make it 5-2.

Ehlers scored an empty-net goal with 2:02 left to finish the scoring.

—Field Level Media