Winnipeg Jets Defeat Colorado Avalanche 1-0 In Goaltending Duel – Hockey Writers – Winnipeg Jets

The Winnipeg Jets defeated the Central Division rival Colorado Avalanche 1-0 on Thursday night in a game where football players often rob shooters.

Gabriel Vilardi’s goal 66 seconds into the game at the Canada Life Centre, when he wristed a wrist shot past Mark Scheifele to end a two-on-one chase, was the offense the Jets needed. Vilardi has scored six goals in his last eight games.

Gabriel Vilardi opened the scoring for the Jets. ✈️ pic.twitter.com/xt6bhny9TB

– Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 8, 2024

The Avalanche, who lost all four regular season games to the Jets in 2023-24 but got revenge by crushing them in the first round of the playoffs, controlled play for good parts of the second and third periods, including during the final six. it was Alexander Georgiev who pulled Josh Morrissey into the box with a catch. However, Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck came up with a solid save total all night to keep the Avs’ potent offense off the score sheet.

Hellebuyck made 35 saves in his second straight shutout – covering the Utah Hockey Club 3-0 on Tuesday evening – and the 40th shutout of his career. Georgiev, coming off a shaky start to the season, made 27 saves, including a nice glove stop on Nikolaj Ehlers at third to keep his team going the distance.

With the win to improve to 13-1-0, the Jets became only the second team in NHL history, along with the 2007-08 Ottawa Senators, to win 13 of their first 14 games. The Avalanche fall to 6-8-0 and have lost four of their last five.

The game featured two of the best power plays in the league but neither could convert, the Jets went 0-2 and the Avalanche went 0-1.

Attendance was 12,918.

The Jets play next on Saturday afternoon when they host the Dallas Stars in Winnipeg to wrap up a four-game homestand. The Avalanche will return to Denver to host the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday evening.