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![\"DAVID](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/4100525_web1_c9e9bcb85aa44774a70b80d0c36b6500.jpg\")
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DAVID ZALUBOWSKI \/ THE ASSOCIATED PRESS<\/p>\n
Colorado Avalanche right wing Valeri Nichushkin, left, collects the puck as defenceman Brent Burns, back left, checks Winnipeg Jets center Cole Perfetti (91) in the second period Saturday in Denver.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s take a closer look at what unfolded:<\/p>\n
The new mark<\/p>\n
Vilardi helped the Jets open the scoring, thanks to a nifty redirection of his own after a point shot by Josh Morrissey, giving him 28 goals for the season (which set a career high).<\/p>\n
Vilardi\u2019s emergence as a driver on the second line with Perfetti and captain Adam Lowry (who chipped in an assist) has been a massive development for a Jets team that has been lacking secondary scoring this season.<\/p>\n
By assisting on the game-winner, Vilardi moved to 62 points for the season (which is also a career high).<\/p>\n
In vintage Vilardi fashion, he dismissed a question about whether splitting the season series with the Avalanche would give his team confidence if the two teams happened to meet down the road in the Stanley Cup playoffs.<\/p>\n
\u201cNah, let\u2019s not get ahead of ourselves here,\u201d said Vilardi. \u201cWe won a game, we\u2019re still whatever points we are out of it. We\u2019re focused on Chicago. We need to win another game, and then we need to win another game after that. That\u2019s our mindset, we\u2019re not thinking about that at all.\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t DAVID ZALUBOWSKI \/ THE ASSOCIATED PRESS<\/p>\n Winnipeg Jets centre Cole Perfetti (91) is congratulated as he passes the team box after scoring against the Colorado Avalanche in the third period Saturday in Denver.<\/p>\n Koepke delivers<\/p>\n Jets left-winger Cole Koepke gave his team a 2-1 lead just 2:14 into the second period by using his speed to explode through the neutral zone.<\/p>\n After taking a pass from Toews, Koepke cut to the middle and snuck his shot past MacKenzie Blackwood, who was fooled by the change up.<\/p>\n Sportsnet commentator John Garrett referred to it as a Harry Potter goal, because he waved his stick like a magic wand over the puck on the shot.<\/p>\n \u201cI would like to say I did (it intentionally) but I didn\u2019t,\u201d said Koepke. \u201cI didn\u2019t get all of it, but it went in, and that is all that matters to me.\u201d<\/p>\n Koepke got off to a slow start offensively this season, but he\u2019s suddenly up to seven goals for the campaign and providing the type of complementary scoring the Jets were hoping for when they inked him to a one-year deal as an unrestricted free agent last summer.<\/p>\n After scoring 10 times for the Boston Bruins last season, Koepke is showing why he\u2019s a strong candidate for a contract extension.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t DAVID ZALUBOWSKI \/ THE ASSOCIATED PRESS<\/p>\n Winnipeg Jets left wing Alex Iafallo (9) shoots the puck past Colorado Avalanche defenceman Brett Kulak (27) as Avalanche goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood makes a stop in the second period Saturday in Denver.<\/p>\n His recent offensive surge, coupled with the fact he leads the team in hits, provides speed and is a valued member of the penalty kill means he could command a multi-year deal and a raise from the US $1 million he made this season.<\/p>\n The key play<\/p>\n Perfetti\u2019s late redirection proved to be the game-winner.<\/p>\n The three stars:<\/p>\n Gabe Vilardi, Jets, Scored once, set up the GWG.<\/p>\n Cole Perfetti, Jets, Scored the game-winner.<\/p>\n Connor Hellebuyck, Jets, Finished with 21 saves in his 50th start of the season.<\/p>\n The changes<\/p>\n The Jets made three lineup changes, inserting Bryson on the back end for Haydn Fleury and putting in Danny Zhilkin and Parker Ford up front for Morgan Barron (concussion protocol) and Gustav Nyquist (undisclosed).<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t DAVID ZALUBOWSKI \/ THE ASSOCIATED PRESS<\/p>\n Colorado Avalanche right wing Valeri Nichushkin, left, checks Winnipeg Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey as he crashes the net in the third period Saturday in Denver.<\/p>\n Bryson was used primarily on the third pairing with Elias Salomonsson and contributed his second assist since being acquired in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres.<\/p>\n Zhilkin took eight shifts for just over five minutes of ice time, but recorded a shot on goal and was 50 per cent in the faceoff dot, while Ford took 12 shifts for nine minutes of ice time and registered one hit.<\/p>\n \u201cThe big thing with those kids coming in, they\u2019ve been here,\u201d said Arniel. \u201cI know they didn\u2019t play big minutes (since) we have a couple of days off and I could overload some guys. But at the end of the day, that\u2019s what has to happen at this time of the year, whether it\u2019s injuries or whether it\u2019s guys getting called up to play, you\u2019ve got to be at your best. There\u2019s a role to play and there\u2019s something you have to add to the game, to each and every shift you\u2019re out there. I thought those guys showed well.\u201d<\/p>\n Extra! Extra!<\/p>\n The Jets split the four-game season series with the Avalanche and have handed them two out of their 14 regulation losses so far this season.<\/p>\n \n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n \t\t\tThe Warm-Up<\/p>\n Winnipeg Jets Game Days<\/p>\n On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.<\/p>\n \t\t\tSign up for The Warm-Up<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t \u201cThat was a gutsy team effort,\u201d said Arniel. \u201cThat was everybody blocking shots, getting their noses in there, into the battles. That\u2019s a heck of a hockey team over there. We tried to really do a job of taking away the rush game that offensive attack game that they have. There were times where we got stuck in our end, but it was that bend don\u2019t break mentality. But more than anything, I just, I thought that everybody found a way to play a little part in it.\u201d<\/p>\n Winnipeg held Nathan MacKinnon without a point and limited him to three shots on goal and six shot attempts after he scored twice on Thursday and had seven shots and 10 shot attempts.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t DAVID ZALUBOWSKI \/ THE ASSOCIATED PRESS<\/p>\n Winnipeg Jets centre Mark Scheifele (55) congratulates goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) after defeating the Colorado Avalanche Saturday in Denver.<\/p>\n The Jets healthy scratches were defencemen Hadyn Fleury and Ville Heinola.<\/p>\n Avalanche D-man Cale Makar recorded the 500th assist of his NHL career in his 467th game on the first period redirection by Brock Nelson. Parker Kelly rounded out the scoring for the Avalanche.<\/p>\n winnipegfreepress.com\/kenwiebe<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Ken Wiebe Ken Wiebe is a sports reporter for the Free Press, with an emphasis on the Winnipeg Jets. He has covered hockey and provided analysis in this market since 2000 for the Winnipeg Sun, The Athletic, Sportsnet.ca and TSN. Ken was a summer intern at the Free Press in 1999 and returned to the Free Press in a full-time capacity in September of 2023. Read more about Ken<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Ken produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber<\/a>.<\/p>\n Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.<\/p>\n \t\t
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