Jets clinch postseason berth with 5-2 win over Flames
RECAP:
The Winnipeg Jets are playoff-bound. Thanks to a 5-2 victory over the visiting Calgary Flames on Thursday, Winnipeg will be going to the NHL's postseason for the sixth time in seven seasons.
The game was a back-and-forth affair, including everything you would expect in an all-Canadian rivalry contest.
Falling behind early, Winnipeg battled back with strong offensive efforts from it's top-nine forwards, highlighted by a three-goal outing from Gabriel Vilardi.
Having recently returned from injury, Vilardi picked up his first points since suffering his lower-body injury in March. His offence sparked the Jets, which came out firing on Parkinson's Awareness Night at Canada Life Centre.
Calgary's Martin Pospisil was handed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for elbowing Josh Morrissey in the head late in the second period. Although Morrissey said he felt as though it wasn't a dirty hit at the time, in watching the replay he realized he was hit hard in the head by a flying elbow.
The game marked the final test of Winnipeg's five-game homestand, to which Winnipeg will now head out on the road for four-game against the Central Division.
Those games feature tests against Minnesota, Nashville, Dallas and Colorado, before the Jets take on the Seattle Kraken and Vancouver Canucks at home to round out the regular season.
HIGHLIGHTS:
PHOTOS:
The extended photo library from Thursday game vs. Calgary is courtesy of Scott Stroh:
QUOTABLE:
Gabe Vilardi on clinching a postseason berth:
"Not really, no. It was pretty cool. They made that sound there at the jumbotron. I didn't know what was going on. I guess you could say for that it was cool. Fans have been great. Going to be exciting to play in the whiteout. Still a lot of season left. Gotta focus on that."
Vilardi on the Winnipeg Whiteout:
“No, but I grew up watching hockey a lot. I’ve seen it on the TV, and it looks pretty fun. I’m excited to be a part of it with them cheering for me. It will be a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to it. Like I said, there’s still six games of the season left.”
WHAT’S NEXT:
Winnipeg now hits the road for four-straight games against divisional opponents, before returning home to conclude the 2023-24 season. Next up is as tilt with Minnesota on Saturday afternoon. That game will get underway at 3:00 PM central time from Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. It can be viewed live on TSN.
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