Gabriel Vilardi scores twice to lead Jets to 6-3 win over Wild
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Gabriel Vilardi scored twice and added an assist to lift the Winnipeg Jets to a 6-3 victory over Minnesota on Tuesday, ending the Wild’s six-game point streak.
Kyle Connor had a goal and pair of assists, while Mason Appleton, Sean Monahan and Nino Niederreiter also scored for the Jets (34-15-5), who rebounded from a 6-3 Monday loss to the Calgary Flames — the most goals they’ve allowed this season.
Vilardi said there are areas to clean up, but he was glad to see the team flip the script.
“There’s going to be breakdowns every game, you’re not going to be perfect,” he said. “Obviously, we won, so it’s a bit of a better mood.”
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Adam Lowry and Dylan DeMelo each contributed a pair of assists.
Laurent Brossoit made 36 saves for Winnipeg in his 14th game of the season.
Marco Rossi scored twice and Kirill Kaprizov notched a goal and assist for the Wild (26-24-6), who set a franchise record for goals in a 10-7 home win Monday against the Vancouver Canucks, including a franchise-best seven goals in the third period.
Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 24 of the 29 shots he faced for Minnesota, which is 5-1-1 in its last seven games.
“I don’t believe we gave them too much,” Fleury said. “It was two tips in the third, a change of direction, a power-play goal that was a nice play back door, a couple shots I didn’t see.
“So I didn’t think we got played by any means. Not to worry. Put that one behind and keep going.”
Winnipeg has scored two power-play goals in three straight games. The last time the Jets had multiple power-play goals in three consecutive games was Feb. 19-23, 2012.
Jets coach Rick Bowness is hoping the team’s power-play units are turning the corner. It’s 6 for 11 in the past three games after going 0 for 22.
“You can see the confidence growing, the puck’s moving a bit and great plays and the puck’s going in the net,” Bowness said.
Winnipeg led 2-0 after the first period and 3-1 following the second.
Vilardi and Appleton scored 14 seconds apart in the first period to spot the home team a 2-0 lead.
Minnesota outshot the Jets 11-8 in the period.
Connor made it 3-0 at 1:54 of the second when he took a pass from Vilardi and recorded his 20th goal of the season.
Vilardi has eight points, including four goals, in a three-game point streak. Connor’s three-game point run features one goal and six assists.
Monahan has five goals in a three-game point streak, including a natural hat trick on Monday.
Up next
Wild: Play Friday in Edmonton against the Oilers.
Jets: Play Friday in Chicago against the Blackhawks.