Three things - Jets move to top of Central

WINNIPEG - Nothing like a first-place showdown in the Manitoba capital tonight with the Winnipeg Jets hosting the Colorado Avalanche. For the second time in December the Jets beat their Central Division rivals, this time 6-2 to push their record to 18-9-2. Gabe Vilardi scored his first two goals on home ice as a Jet, Vladislav Namestnikov, Alex Iafallo, Nino Niederreiter and Nikolaj Ehlers had the other goals. Connor Hellebuyck has now allowed two or fewer goals in each of his last ten starts for the Jets who host Montreal on Monday.

TWO FOR VILARDI

Gabe Vilardi followed up his huge four-point night with his first two goal performance as a Jet. Vilardi is looking more and more confident as each game goes by and has fit in nicely on the top line since the injury to Kyle Connor. His first goal of the night came on a beautiful passing play that went Morrissey to Scheifele to Vilardi. The 24-year-old out battled Josh Manson for his second goal as he pounced on a rebound to beat Ivan Prosvetov.

JETS POWER PLAY

The Jets ended a long funk on the power play when Vladislav Namestnikov one timed a pass from Alex Iafallo on Winnipeg’s first man advantage of the night. Namestnikov ended Winnipeg’s 0-for-17 power play drought with his goal and that really pushed the momentum to the Jets side with a two goal first period lead. Winnipeg finished the night 1-2 with the man advantage.

“It’s always nice to get a power play goal. It was kind of quick,” said Namestnikov.

“Won the draw and kind of stick to the net there quick and it was nice to get rewarded.”

CONTAIN MACKINNON

Rick Bowness said that the Jets had to do a better job of slowing down Nathan MacKinnon after the Avalanche star had a goal and an assist in the last meeting between the two teams in Denver. Tonight, MacKinnon was contained at even strength and did end up recording an assist on Jonathan Drouin’s power play goal in the third period. Colorado lost for just the third time this season when they score at least one goal on the man advantage (15-2-1).