Gabriel Vilardi has 2 goals and an assist, Jets beat NHL-leading Canucks 4-2

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Gabriel Vilardi had two goals and an assist, Connor Hellebuyck made 35 saves and the Winnipeg Jets beat the NHL-leading Vancouver Canucks 4-2 on Saturday night.

Mark Scheifele had a hand in all four of goals with a goal and three assists, and Sean Monahan scored his first goal for Winnipeg following a trade from Montreal.

“It was awesome. It was fun,” Scheifele said. “That’s what you want when you got two Canadian teams going at it. That’s what everyone wants to see and it was an absolute blast.”

Winnipeg improved to 33-14-5.

“That’s what it’s going to be like from here on out,” Jets coach Rick Bowness said. “It’s teams fighting for playoff spots, positioning in the league and there’s only 30 games to go for us and every one is going to be a battle.”

Tyler Myers and Noah Juulsen scored for Vancouver, and Thatcher Demko stopped 24 shots. The Canucks dropped to 37-13-6.

“I think we’re getting frustrated with some things out there,” Canucks Rick Tocchet said. “We’ve got to build a resolve when you’re in tight situations that you are going to make sure you keep your head.”

Vilardi broke a 2-2 tie at 7:47 of the third period. Juulsen went to hit Scheifele, creating a 3-on-1 with Kyle Connor sliding a pass to an open Vilardi. Scheifele scored at 9:42, breaking away from Juulsen to tuck home a pass from Connor.

“I mean the goal doesn’t matter at all, obviously,” Juulsen said. “You know the third one I went for the hit ended up in the back of our net and the fourth one is on me as well.”

The Jets took a 2-1 lead at 9:25 of the second period through Monahan, immediately after Canucks forward Phil Di Giuseppe was given a game misconduct, and an instigator penalty, for fighting Adam Lowry.

Scheifele wristed a pass to Vilardi at the side of the net for a feed to the open Monahan.

Myers tied it with 5:41 left int the period, beating Hellebuyck with a backhander.

Juulsen opened the scoring for the Canucks 19 seconds into the second period, driving to the net and finding a loose pass that he roofed past a stranded Hellebuyck. It was his first goal as a Canucks and first in 72 games.

The Jets tied it midway through the period on a power play, with Scheifele finding an open Vilardi alone in front of Demko.

UP NEXT

Jets: At Calgary on Monday night.

Canucks: At Minnesota on Monday night.

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AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

The Associated Press