Jets explode for three quick goals in the second period, securing a crucial home win and handing the struggling Flames another loss.
The Winnipeg Jets are back in the win column.
On Friday night the Jets rallied for three goals in 4:31 of the second period, which accounted for sixty percent of their goals on a night that saw Jonathan Toews get his first goal on home ice for this hometown team.
With the 5-3 win, Winnipeg moved to 6-2-0 on the season and dropped the Flames' record to an NHL worst 1-7-1.
The Jets escaped the first period down just 1-0 off a Nazem Kadri power play marker. Despite outshooting the Flames nearly 2:1, Winnipeg fell behind through 20 minutes. With noted penalty killer Dylan DeMelo in the box for tripping, Kadri pounded his first of the year past an out-of-position Eric Comrie.
Comrie, who was starting in place of Connor Hellebuyck in the second leg of the back-to-back, was on of three lineup changes for the Jets on Friday. Defenceman Colin Miller slotted in for Luke Schenn, while Nikita Chibrikov entered the roster in place of Brad Lambert.
Entering the second period trailing 1-0, the Jets quickly turned the tides, scoring three goals in a span of just 4:31, and two of their goals in the frame came with the man advantage.
First, on a four-on-four situation, Josh Morrissey fed Kyle Connor on a two-on-one up-ice, who potted his fourth goal of the season past a sprawling Dustin Wolf.
Then it was Jonathan Toews, who scored his first goal on home ice for his hometown team with a goalmouth redirection.
“It’s a lot of fun to play in this building," Toews said following the game. "I’ve always loved coming here in the past and it was always great energy. There are no better hockey fans in the world. It’s nice to be on the right side now and to score a goal and hear the crowd. It definitely gives you some jump out there.”
On their second power play of the period, the Jets got Gabe Vilardi his first goal of the season - just hours after talking about his dry spell to start the season. His backhander from in tight gave Winnipeg a 3-1 lead with three goals in less than a five-minute span.
Calgary did get one back, but the Jets restored their two-goal lead before the period came to a close - with another power play goal to boot.
This time it was some solid passing from Vilardi to his old Los Angeles Kings teammate, Alex Iafallo, whose second of the season brought it to 4-2 in a five-goal second period.
“He’s got such great hands in tight, close to his feet and close to his body, where other guys maybe can’t pull it that close and do the same things," head coach Scott Arniel said of Vilardi. "He’s really good at that and as you saw on his goal, it just seemed like it was a little two-foot space and he pulled it to his backhand and through it through there. He’s just a big man that has great stick control and makes those plays."
The Jets finished the frame up 21-18 on the shot chart.
Blake Coleman brought the Flames to within one goal of the Jets on a perfect setup play from Backlund. His centring pass found Coleman, who put it past Comrie and into the Jets' net.
Winnipeg had significant time on the penalty kill to close out the game, and did so by way of an extended six-on-four. Vlad Namestnikov buried a long-range empty-net strike, to finish the job for Winnipeg on the 5-3 win.
Comrie finished the game with 30 stops on 33 shots he faced, while Wolf made 27 saves on the 31 pucks directed his way by Winnipeg.
The Jets will get a day off on Saturday, before returning right back to the fold with their third game in four days on Sunday when the Utah Mammoth roll into town for the first time in a Central Division matchup.