The Winnipeg Jets improved to 19-9-3 on the season with a 5-2 win over the visiting Detroit Red Wings Wednesday.
On Wednesday evening, the Winnipeg Jets welcomed their second of three-straight Original Six opponents to Canada Life Centre on the week.
And they did so with gumption.
Gabriel Vilardi had a goal and two assists, as the Jets piled on three goals in the the second period, en route to a 5-2 victory over the visiting Detroit Red Wings, catapulting the team back into first place in the Central Division.
“It was just an all-around really solid team effort," head coach Rick Bowness said postgame.
"Our team game, I’ve talked enough about it, our team game has been really good. And you don’t have a team game unless you have everyone contributing and looking the same out there without the puck. All four lines tonight were going, the D were good. Listen, give LB a lot of credit, too. I talk a lot about timely goals. That fifth goal was timely. And a lot of timely saves from LB, so that was a good solid team effort.”
A back-and-forth opening frame didn't provide fans with much, unless getting a glimpse at former Jets Andrew Copp, Ben Chiarot and Michael Hutchinson in Red Wings colours gave some excitement.
Winnipeg finally opened the scoring with 4:22 left, as a Neal Pionk long-range floater found its way past James Reimer. The wrist shot was deflected down in the high slot and trickled its way past the Morweena, MB. product.
It was Morgan Barron causing all the problems in front of Reimer, and after an exceptionally lengthy review, to which he was originally credited with the goal, the NHL made a change and shifted the tally back to Pionk, as it was deemed the puck hit Red Wings' defenceman Jeff Petry instead of Barron.
Other than the late-period goal and a massive hit by Detroit's Mo Seider on Vlad Namestnikov, there wasn't much for on the entertainment scale in the opening frame.
Things were night and day in the middle stanza, as the teams combined for four goals, including three from the home squad, which pulled ahead to a massive 4-1 lead off of 18 shots on net in the frame.
First it was Olli Maatta who tied the game just 1:44 in, but it was all Jets after that.
Nikolaj Ehlers got his 11th of the year off a fantastic setup passing play from Gabriel Vilardi behind the Red Wings' net just 7:41 in.
Then Axel Jonsson-Fjallby potted his first goal of the year on a partial break three minutes later. It was defender Dylan Samberg who found the speedy winger up-ice, and AJF did all the rest, as he blew by Shayne Gostisbehere before beating Reimer low, short-side.
“Those guys, they don’t play a lot but once they’re out there, they work their asses off," Ehlers said postgame.
"A guy like (Jonsson-Fjallby), I don’t think I’ve ever seen a guy skate that fast and (Gustafsson) is winning a lot of faceoffs and important ones too. And (Barron) is a big body who can skate and can shoot. Those three guys have played unbelievable for us so far. It’s exciting to see them get rewarded.”
Vilardi stayed red-hot with his sixth goal in his past six games shortly thereafter. It was Cole Perfetti who gave him a perfect setup pass, leaving Vilardi nothing to do but put his stick on the ice and tap the puck into the yawning cage.
But it was Patrick Kane who gave the Red Wings their second tally of the game. He banked home a rebound with 11:19 remaining, making things interesting.
The Jets were pegged with two penalties in the final frame, but their special teams came through, killing off both minors.
“We talked about it before the game, about the PK," Jonsson-Fjallby said. "LB made some really nice saves and PK was pretty good toady. It was pretty dialled in. So that was good.”
Mark Scheifele sealed it with his 12th of the season, as he hammered home a setup pass from Vilardi with 4:48 to play, putting the finishing touches on the 5-2 win.
Brossoit turned aside 26 of the 28 shots he faced, while Reimer made 35 stops on the 40 pucks the Jets fired his way.
“I mean, LB, the games that he’s played, he’s been unbelievable," Ehlers added. "Having two goalies that play the way they do every single night, is pretty exciting and it makes our job a little easier. The saves that he made are pretty impressive.”
Next up for Winnipeg is the team's final game before the Christmas break, as the Boston Bruins make their way to Canada Life Centre on Friday for the third-straight Original Six battle of the week for the Jets. That game can be viewed live on TSN at 7:00 PM central.
