The Winnipeg Jets secured a spot in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a decisive 5-2 victory over the Calgary Flames, improving their record to 46-24-6. Gabriel Vilardi was the standout player of the game, achieving his first career hat-trick, contributing significantly to the Jets' win. The game was crucial for both teams, as a loss for Calgary meant their elimination from playoff contention, a scenario realized partly due to St. Louis and Minnesota both losing in regulation. The Jets' victory, which also saw goals from Nikolaj Ehlers and Tyler Toffoli, was part of a nine-game slate that saw them clinch a playoff berth, igniting hopes for the club's first championship. This marks their second consecutive season in the playoffs, showcasing a remarkable turnaround from being considered an unlikely contender early in the summer to securing their position by January 2024.
Winnipeg Jets clinch playoff spot: 3 crucial storylines to track ⤵️ https://t.co/QlSjyMQkup
Winnipeg's playoff spot went from unthinkable early last summer to inevitable by January, 2024. What comes next in this #NHLJets story? How the #NHLJets stack up to their most likely first-round opponent, plus areas of concern heading down the stretch: https://t.co/rEHZtJDLaL
The Winnipeg Jets clinched a playoff position for the second straight season after their win over the Flames on Thursday night. @DanRTSN & @KevinSawyer1 discuss a big night for Gabe Vilardi: https://t.co/vcLJwl0gxW https://t.co/BACyKfzwGf
An exciting nine-game night saw the @NHLJets clinch a berth in the 2024 #StanleyCup Playoffs and the @NHLBruins (45-17-15, 105 points) move within one point of the idle Rangers (51-21-4, 106 points) for first place in the League standings. #NHLStats: https://t.co/6cMwxBgBGf https://t.co/PmTtHAfgpb
Here's my story on the #NHLJets locking up a playoff spot with a 5-2 win over #Flames on Thursday to wrap up a five-game homestand: https://t.co/H3paOQpj1N
IT'S A VILARDI PARTY! 🎉 Gabriel Vilardi has his first career three-goal game! Hat Trick Challenge presented by @AstraZenecaUS https://t.co/mx9muFU2rn
Winnipeg gets three goals from Gabriel Vilardi, one from Nikolaj Ehlers, and one from Tyler Toffoli en route to a 5-2 win, a 46-24-6 record, and a 2024 playoff spot.
Cue the “Winnipeg Whiteout” – the @NHLJets are back in the #StanleyCup Playoffs. Will this be the year the club captures its first championship? #NHLStats: https://t.co/7pbUV27uuJ https://t.co/0qSGqa9nQ1
Winnipeg gets three goals from Gabriel Vilardi, one from Nikolaj Ehlers, and one from Kyle Connor en route to a 5-2 win, a 46-24-6 record, and a 2024 playoff spot
#NHLJets clinched a playoff spot as a result of St. Louis and Minnesota both losing in regulation. They didn’t need the help, as minutes later they took care of business themselves and eliminated #Flames from playoff contention with a 5-2 victory.
First career hatty for Gabriel Vilardi.
Winnipeg is up by two, with a playoff spot guaranteed if the Jets hold on to the lead. Calgary's net is empty. Time out Calgary with 2:24 to go.
Gabriel Vilardi. 4-2 Winnipeg. Deft deflection and then buries his own rebound.
3-2 #NHLJets after 40. Calgary took it to the Jets early in the second period, tying the game 2-2, but Winnipeg poured it on after that goal -- with its original lines, after briefly straying from them. 4:17 of power play left after Martin Pospisil's elbow. Hold on and clinch
One more note on Tyler Toffoli's goal: It hasn't been updated yet but it was Cole Perfetti, not Neal Pionk, who passed to Nikolaj Ehlers. Perfetti should get the second assist. It should be Toffoli from Ehlers and Perfetti.
Line changes again: Ehlers-Scheifele-Vilardi Connor-Monahan-Perfetti
Calgary ties it 2-2. Connor-Scheifele-Vilardi hemmed.
Winnipeg leads Calgary 2-1 after 20 minutes, thanks to a power play goal by Gabriel Vilardi and a 5-on-5 one from Nikolaj Ehlers. Great passes on each: Connor on the first, Perfetti on the second. Shots are 17-8 #NHLJets
Nikolaj Ehlers puts the Jets ahead after some hard work on the wall and in the slot from Cole Perfetti. It's 2-1 #NHLJets with 5:04 left in the first period.
Cole Perfetti finds Nikolaj Ehlers and it's 2-1 #NHLJets at 14:56 of the first period. Five-hole goal.
Perfetti to Ehlers. 2-1. Perfetti's strips the puck and gets it across the ice to Ehlers.
With 10 seconds left in the 2nd minor, Kyle Connor finds Gabriel Vilardi for a redirection. Josh Morrissey with the other assist. 1-1 game after the #NHLJets PP goal at 12:59 of the first period.
Win and they're in: #NHLJets lines at home vs. Calgary in what could be their playoff clinching game Ehlers-Scheifele-Vilardi Connor-Monahan-Perfetti Toffoli-Lowry-Appleton Barron-Namestnikov-Iafallo Morrissey-Pionk Dillon-DeMelo Samberg-Miller Hellebuyck Brossoit
The @NHLJets will look to clinch a berth into the 2024 #StanleyCup Playoffs during tonight's nine-game slate. Follow along with all of the action with #NHLStats: Live Updates ➡️ https://t.co/6cMwxBgBGf https://t.co/KaXAKkf6c4
#Flames and Jets tonight in Winnipeg. Puck drop is 6 pm, pregame on @Sportsnet960 at 5 pm. Dustin Wolf in net. Calgary went optional, so will get any other lineup notes at warmup. Connor Hellebuyck starts for Winnipeg. A loss of any kind mathematically eliminates Calgary.