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![\"JOHN](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/4040244_web1_JGW121_080327.jpg\")
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JOHN WOODS \/ THE CANADIAN PRESS<\/p>\n
Winnipeg Jets\u2019 Gabriel Vilardi (13) scores against Vancouver Canucks goaltender Kevin Lankinen (32) during the third period in Winnipeg on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Winnipeg has collected points in all six games since the Olympic break (4-0-2) and have just four regulation losses over the last 20 games (11-4-5). The win over Vancouver pulled them to within five points of the final Western Conference wildcard playoff spot, currently held by Seattle. The Kraken were hosting the Ottawa Senators later Saturday night.<\/p>\n
The Jets are now 26-26-10, while the Canucks remain last in the NHL standings with a record of 19-36-8.<\/p>\n
SURGING SCHEIFELE: Scheifele is having a heck of a homestand.<\/p>\n
The team\u2019s top centre scored his 30th goal of the year with 12 seconds left in the second period Saturday night to level the score at 1-1. He then had the primary assists on both the game-tying and game-winning goals, giving him eight points in the three games this week at the downtown rink.<\/p>\n
Scheifele is now up to 78 on the year, which trails only five players \u2014 Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Nikita Kucherov, Leon Draisaitl and Macklin Celebrini \u2014 in that department.<\/p>\n
A reminder: He wasn\u2019t deemed good enough to crack the Canadian Olympic team, which probably could have used a little more offence in the 2-1 gold medal overtime loss to Hellebuyck and the Americans.<\/p>\n
Scheifele, who turns 33 next week, set a career-high with 87 points last season. He\u2019s on pace to not only smash that this year, but to eclipse the 100-point mark, too.<\/p>\n
VILARDI\u2019S LAMENT<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t JOHN WOODS \/ THE CANADIAN PRESS<\/p>\n Winnipeg Jets\u2019 Mark Scheifele (55) and Vancouver Canucks\u2019 Teddy Blueger (53) face-off during the second period in Winnipeg, Saturday.<\/p>\n There is no bigger critic of Vilardi than the man himself, and he was pretty frank earlier this week discussing how he needs to be better for his team. This, despite scoring twice in the first four games coming out of the Olympic break.<\/p>\n His goal against the Canucks showed what he\u2019s best at: Creating time and space in close quarters. Vilardi took a net-front pass from Scheifele, then put on a sublime, puck-handling display before beating Lankinen. He\u2019s now up to 24 goals on the year.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s special. Those are special hands,\u201d Arniel said of finally getting rewarded for relentless pressure and chances by tying the game.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were pounding them. Shots were coming, there were all kinds of rebounds. But when Gabe gets one-on-one with the goaltender, that\u2019s impressive stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n Vilardi, in typical fashion, wasn\u2019t ready to take a post-game victory lap.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m looked at to contribute offensively. I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve been doing that as much as I\u2019d like. Even again (Saturday night), I had a lot of good chances there and I didn\u2019t capitalize,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is frustrating, but at the same time we are winning, we\u2019re getting points. So, I just have to keep working at it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLET\u2019S GO NEW GUYS\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t JOHN WOODS \/ THE CANADIAN PRESS<\/p>\n Winnipeg Jets\u2019 Isak Rosen (27) reaches out for a loose puck in front of Vancouver Canucks\u2019 Tom Willander (5) and goaltender Kevin Lankinen (32) during the first period in Winnipeg on Saturday.<\/p>\n Arniel had a sense of occasion when he started the game with forward Isak Rosen and defenceman Jacob Bryson, who were obtained late Thursday night from the Buffalo Sabres (along with two draft picks) in return for Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn.<\/p>\n The pair were greeted with a brief, fun welcoming chant from the crowd.<\/p>\n Rosen, 22, skated on a line with Jonathan Toews and fellow Swede Gus Nyquist. He had one shot on goal, one hit and played 11:22. Bryson, 27, was paired with Haydn Fleury and also registered a shot and a hit over 15:58 of ice time.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s lots there,\u201d Arniel said of the two new guys.<\/p>\n \u201cJacob is a little bit more of a veteran guy and you can throw him a little bit more into that game. I thought he was good. Him and (Fleury) did a really good job of not spending a whole lot of time in our end of the rink. Then, with Rosey there, you can see some of the skill, some of the talent.\u201d<\/p>\n KEY PLAY<\/p>\n Morrissey\u2019s overtime winner saved the day for the Jets, who need every point they can get right now.<\/p>\n Three stars<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) saves the shot from Vancouver Canucks\u2019 Liam Ohgren (92) during the first period in Winnipeg on Saturday.<\/p>\n 1. WPG D Josh Morrissey: 1 goal, 1 assist<\/p>\n 2. WPG C Mark Scheifele: 1 goal, 2 assists<\/p>\n 3. VAN G Kevin Lankinen: 32 saves<\/p>\n REMEMBERING TROY<\/p>\n The Jets held a moment of silence prior to puck drop for former 1.0 captain Troy Murray, who died of cancer early Saturday.<\/p>\n Murray, 63, played 914 games in the NHL, the majority with the Chicago Blackhawks. He spent parts of two seasons in Winnipeg (1991-92, 1992-93).<\/p>\n \u201cA real tough one for me. We were in the World Juniors together, he was our captain,\u201d said Arniel.<\/p>\n \u201cPlayed here with the Jets. He\u2019s been battling that a while. A true fighter. I got to see him there last year, at the end of the year. It\u2019s been, for him and his family, a tough go. Sad, sad day for the hockey world. Especially being an old Jet as well.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t JOHN WOODS \/ THE CANADIAN PRESS<\/p>\n Vancouver Canucks goaltender Kevin Lankinen (32) saves the shot from Winnipeg Jets\u2019 Cole Perfetti (91) as Victor Mancini (90) defends during the second period in Winnipeg on Saturday.<\/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 EXTRA, EXTRA<\/p>\n The Jets went 1-for-2 on the power play, while Vancouver didn\u2019t get a chance on the man advantage. Liam Ohgren\u2019s goal just 33 seconds into the third period, which gave the visitors a 2-1 lead, came on a delayed penalty against the Jets.<\/p>\n A crowd of 14,294 took in the game, which is slightly above the season average of 14,231.<\/p>\n The Jets will return to action on Tuesday night when they host the Anaheim Ducks in the fourth game of this eight-game homestand.<\/p>\n www.winnipegfreepress.com\/mikemcintyre<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Mike McIntyre Mike McIntyre is a sports reporter whose primary role is covering the Winnipeg Jets. After graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College in 1995, he spent two years gaining experience at the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 1997, where he served on the crime and justice beat until 2016. Read more about Mike<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Mike 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
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