The Winnipeg Jets beat their Central Division rival, the Colorado Avalanche, 1-0 on Thursday night in a game where goaltenders often confounded shooters.

Gabriel Vilardi’s goal 66 seconds into the contest at Canada Life Centre, when he fired a wrist shot off a nice dish from Mark Scheifele to complete a two-on-one, was all the offense the Jets needed . Vilardi has scored six goals in his last eight games.

Gabriel Vilardi opens the scoring for the Jets. pic.twitter.com/xt6bhny9TB

– Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 8, 2024

The Avalanche, who lost all four of their regular season games to the Jets in 2023-24 but then got their revenge by crushing them in the first round of the playoffs, controlled the game for much of the second and third periods, including the last six periods. at four with Alexandar Georgiev removed and Josh Morrissey in the box for holding. However, Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made a number of solid positional saves throughout the night to keep the Avs’ potent offense off the scoresheet.

Hellebuyck made 35 saves to post his second straight shutout. blanked the Utah Hockey Club 3-0 Tuesday night – and the 40th goose egg of his career. Georgiev, who is having a difficult start to the season, made 27 saves, including one excellent glove stop on Nikolaj Ehlers in the third to keep his team within striking distance.

With the win improving to 13-1-0, the Jets are only the second team in NHL history, joining the 2007-08 Ottawa Senators, to win 13 of their first 14 games. The Avalanche fell to 6-8-0 and have lost four of their last five games.

The game featured the league’s two best power plays, but neither could convert, with the Jets going 0-2 and the Avalanche going 0-1.

Attendance was 12,918 people.

The Jets next play Saturday afternoon when they host the Dallas Stars in Winnipeg to conclude a four-game homestand. The Avalanche will return to Denver to host the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday night.