The Winnipeg Jets will look to keep their Western Conference wild-card hopes alive when they travel to Chicago to face the Blackhawks on Tuesday night.
The Jets (31-30-12, 74 points), in the midst of a four-game road trip, enter Monday’s action three points back of the Nashville Predators for the final wild-card spot. Winners of three of the last four, Winnipeg doubled up the host Colorado Avalanche 4-2 on Saturday night.
Gabriel Vilardi scored a goal and added an assist, while Cole Koepke, Cole Perfetti and Kyle Connor also tallied for the Jets, who are 3-2-2 in their past seven.
Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 21 saves for Winnipeg, which improved to 13-16-6 on the road this season.
“We looked at the scoreboard, and we got some help around the league. That’s what we need, but you’ve got to win to gain ground,” Jets coach Scott Arniel said of Saturday’s win. “We did that. Now all of our focus zeroes in on Chicago. It can’t be one of those ones where you have a great game here, and then you take a big step back.”
With his two-point performance, Vilardi set new career highs in goals (28) and points (62).
“Every game’s huge,” Vilardi said. “We need to win every game just to keep afloat right now, to try and stay tied and then make up ground. … This is a huge win, coming in to play the best team in the NHL right now and winning. I’m not undermining that. It’s a good win for us.
“I don’t want to be sitting here a month from now, not playing hockey. That would suck. So that’s our thoughts and my thoughts right now.”
Tuesday is the fourth and final meeting between the Central Division rivals. Winnipeg has taken two of three contests thus far, doubling up the Blackhawks 6-3 on Oct. 30 and edging them 3-2 in overtime on March 3.
Chicago blanked Winnipeg 2-0 on Jan. 19.
The Blackhawks (27-34-13, 67 points) are stuck in a three-game losing streak.
Frank Nazar scored twice, his first career multi-goal game, and Ilya Mikheyev also tallied in Chicago’s 5-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Sunday.
“Anytime you lose, you can learn from it,” Nazar said. “We’re going to go back, do some video, figure out how to be better and go from there.”
Anton Frondell added two assists and Spencer Knight made 35 saves for Chicago, which is 3-5-2 in its last 10.
“We weren’t perfect, obviously, but we played hard,” Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill said. “So, from an attitude and an approach, I thought it was much better.”
Connor Bedard paces the Blackhawks with 30 goals, 38 assists and 68 points through 61 games.
“Our bread and butter is we want to get it low and play a very simple game and then let our offense take over,” said Ryan Donato, who had an assist against the Devils.
“We’ve got to figure out a way to continue to grow and mature.”
