By Canadian Press

Vilardi nets four points as Jets cool off Flames 5-2

Jan 26, 2025 | 7:04 PM

WINNIPEG — Gabriel Vilardi scored two goals and added two assists to lead the Winnipeg Jets to a 5-2 victory over the Calgary Flames on Sunday.

Mark Scheifele, Mason Appleton and Kyle Connor also scored for the Jets.

Nazem Kadri and MacKenzie Weegar replied for the Flames.

Eric Comrie made 20 saves for Winnipeg (34-14-3) at Canada Life Centre to record his first win in nine games.

Dan Vladar stopped 22 shots for Calgary (23-17-7).

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After Calgary pulled to within 4-2, Scheifele scored on the power play to give the Jets a 5-2 cushion.

Less than two minutes after the Jets had taken a 4-1 lead, Calgary’s Kadri converted a pass from Jake Bean from behind the net and slid the puck past Comrie to reduce the deficit to 4-2.

Vilardi had given Winnipeg a 4-1 lead during a power play early in the third period. With the Flames serving a penalty for too many men, Vilardi took a pass from Connor in front of Vladar, then lifted the puck over the goalie. Nikolaj Ehlers also assisted.

Vilardi had restored Winnipeg’s two-goal edge when he took a backhand pass from Dylan Samberg and fired a shot past Vladar with 10 seconds left in the second period. Scheifele also assisted.

Weegar pulled Calgary to within 2-1 with a power-play goal late in the second period. With Appleton off for cross-checking, Weegar’s wicked point shot beat a screened Comrie. Yegor Sharangovich and Jonathan Huberdeau assisted.

Appleton had given the Jets a 2-0 lead when he intercepted a pass in front of Vladar after a Logan Stanley rebound and fired the puck into the open net for an unassisted marker.

Connor opened the scoring with a brilliant individual play. He took a pass from David Gustafsson that defected off Vilardi, then juked around a Flames defenceman, then deked Vladar and beat him with a backhand shot.

TAKEAWAYS

Jets: Pounced on the Flames in the first period, outshooting them 8-1 before they got two shots on goal during a late power play. They survived a pushback by the Flames in the second period, then took a 3-1 lead heading into the final frame.

Flames: Rebounded from a lacklustre first period and outshot the Jets 12-10 and scored late in the period, but lagged toward the end when Winnipeg scored with 10 seconds left to take a 3-1 lead into the third period. Then they tired in the third.

KEY MOMENT

After the Flames had pulled to within 4-2, Scheifele scored on the power play to give Winnipeg a three-goal cushion.

KEY STAT

Winnipeg’s league-leading power play scored two goals.

UP NEXT

Flames: Host the Washington Capitals on Tuesday.

Jets: Visit the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 26, 2025.

Jim Bender, The Canadian Press

<!– Photo: 54b2178ec0ae9a7d926284b07f9fa27d574c01d832ea5764681b43e656cae1a0.jpg, Caption:

Calgary Flames’ goaltender Dan Vladar (80) makes a save on Winnipeg Jets’ Cole Perfetti (91) during the first period of their NHL hockey game in Winnipeg, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Greenslade

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