Gabe Vilardi has hat trick, Jets wrap up playoff spot and eliminate Flames with 5-2 win

Fri, Apr 5, 2024
NHL News (AP)

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) - Gabe Vilardi had a hat trick and the Winnipeg Jets wrapped up a playoff spot and eliminated Calgary from the wild-card race, beating the Flames 5-2 on Thursday night to close a five-game homestand.

Vilardi scored his third goal of the game and 19th of the season into an empty net with 1:04 left. Nikolaj Ehlers had a goal and an assist, Tyler Toffoli also scored and Connor Hellebuyck stopped 31 shots to help the Jets improve to 46-24-6.

Martin Pospisil and MacKenzie Weegar scored for Calgary. Dustin Wolf made 40 saves.

Toffoli gave Winnipeg a 3-2 lead on a power play with 4:25 left in the second period.

Vilardi scored his second of the game when he pounced on a rebound and plopped the puck in the net to make it 4-2 almost midway through the third period.

Weegar opened the scoring on an early power play, and Winnipeg countered on a power play with Vilardi's first of the the night with 7:01 to go in the first period. Ehler put the Jets ahead with and 5:04 left in the first, and Pospisil tied it midway through the second.

In the last minute of the second, Pospisil elbowed Morrissey in the head. After a review demanded by Jets coach Rick Bowness, Pospisil was given a major penalty for elbowing and a game misconduct instead of the minor infraction originally called.

UP NEXT

Flames: Host Edmonton on Saturday.

Jets: At Minnesota on Saturday.

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