Jets find scoring touch to top Canucks

Field Level Media|published: Sun 18th February, 01:00 2024

Feb 17, 2024; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes (43) battles with Winnipeg Jets forward Mason Appleton (22) in the first period at Rogers Arena. credits: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports

Gabriel Vilardi scored twice and added an assist and Mark Scheifele had a goal and three assists as the visiting Winnipeg Jets rediscovered their scoring touch Saturday with a 4-2 win over the league-leading Vancouver Canucks.

Scheifele and Vilardi scored goals just under two minutes apart to break the game open and give the Jets a 4-2 lead in the third period.

It was textbook Jets hockey, combining timely goals with a commitment to limiting scoring opportunities and solid goaltending from Connor Hellebuyck to win their third straight game.

Hellebuyck and Thatcher Demko kept the game scoreless through the first 20 minutes as both goalies showed why they will be strong candidates to make Team USA for the 2026 Olympics in Italy. Hellebuyck stopped Pius Suter in close and Demko did the same against Scheifele in the first period.

Demko finished with 24 saves and Hellebuyck stopped 35 shots.

The Jets came out hitting from the opening bell, especially targeting some of Vancouver's star players, such as Quinn Hughes and J.T. Miller. That led to a string of penalties and power-play opportunities, which the Jets used to take their first lead of the game, 2-1, in the second.

After Noah Juulsen opened the scoring for Vancouver 19 seconds into the second, the Jets answered with back-to-back power-play goals.

Vilardi scored on the man advantage at 5:16 of the second period to tie it 1-1 and snap a lengthy power-play drought by Winnipeg. His backhand from the side of the net was Winnipeg's first power-play goal in its last nine games.

Jets forward Sean Monahan scored another power-play goal to make it 2-1 at 9:25 of the second on a one-timer from the slot that deflected off the post and in.

Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers scored on the backhand to tie 2-2 at 14:19 of the second.

Vilardi then finished a two-on-one with Kyle Connor to make it 3-2 at 7:47 of the third. Scheifele made it 4-2 by winning a footrace to the front of the goal and tipping in another nice pass from Connor.

—Field Level Media

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