The Winnipeg Jets defeated Central Division rival Colorado Avalanche 1-0 Thursday night in a game where the goaltenders often flummoxed shooters.
Gabriel Vilardi’s goal 66 seconds into the bout at Canada Life Centre, when he potted a wrist shot off a nice dish from Mark Scheifele to finish off a two-on-one rush, was all the offence the Jets needed. Vilardi has scored six goals in his past eight games.
Gabriel Vilardi opens the scoring for the Jets. ✈️ pic.twitter.com/xt6bhny9TB
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 8, 2024
The Avalanche, who lost all four regular-season games to the Jets in 2023-24 but then got revenge by crushing them in the first round of the playoffs, controlled play for good portions of the second and third periods, including during a late six on four with Alexandar Georgiev pulled and Josh Morrissey in the box for holding. However, Jets’ goaltender Connor Hellebuyck came up with a number of strong positional saves throughout the night to keep the Avs’ potent offense off the scoresheet.
Hellebuyck made 35 saves for his second shutout in a row — he blanked the Utah Hockey Club 3-0 on Tuesday evening — and 40th goose egg of his career. Georgiev, who is off to a shaky start to the season, made 27 saves of his own, including an excellent glove stop on Nikolaj Ehlers in the third to keep his side within striking distance.
With the win to improve to 13-1-0, the Jets are only the second team in NHL history, along with the 2007-08 Ottawa Senators, to win 13 of their first 14 games. The Avalanche fell to 6-8-0 and have lost four of their past five.
The game featured the league’s two best power plays but neither could convert, with the Jets going 0-2 and the Avalanche going 0-1.
The attendance was 12,918.
The Jets play next on Saturday afternoon when they welcome the Dallas Stars to Winnipeg to wrap up a four-game homestand. The Avalanche will return to Denver to welcome the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday evening.