Gabriel Vilardi and Nikolaj Ehlers scored third-period goals in rapid succession after the Winnipeg Jets erased a two-goal deficit and went on to a 4-2 home victory over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.
Ehlers finished with a goal and two assists, while teammates Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor each had a goal and an assist.
Connor Hellebuyck made 33 saves for the Jets, while Mads Sogaard turned back 19 shots for the Senators.
Ottawa struck first on the power play as Tim Stutzle finished off a beautiful piece of passing with 9:20 left in the opening frame.
The Senators caught a break less than three minutes into the second period when Vilardi was handed a double-minor for high-sticking.
Ottawa scored on the extended man advantage as Ridly Greig got a piece of Thomas Chabot’s wrist shot and tipped it past Hellebuyck to double up the Senators’ lead.
While the Jets were on a power play of their own at 10:55 of the middle frame, Josh Norris intercepted a pass at his own blue line and sped down on a breakaway, but wired his attempt off the post.
At the other end, Cole Perfetti’s shot rang off the iron just 10 seconds later.
Connor broke the ice for the Jets with 7:14 left in the second as he took a pass from Scheifele and lit the lamp.
Scheifele then scored one of his own with 4:59 left in the middle period as he lifted a backhand over the blocker of Sogaard on the short side.
The Jets appeared destined to take the lead with 13:21 left, but Vladislav Namestnikov shoveled his short-handed attempt off the post.
Then just minutes later, the post continued to haunt the Jets as Vilardi’s slot shot rang iron.
Vilardi got his redemption at 9:47 of the final frame as he took a pass from Ehlers in front of the Senators’ net and slammed home a power-play goal to give the Jets their first lead of the game.
Ehlers then scored less than two minutes later to increase the lead to 4-2.
–Field Level Media
