Vilardi props up Jets with two goals in 5-1 win over Capitals

Winnipeg Jets' Alex Iafallo (9) battles with Washington Capitals' Justin Sourdif (34) during second period NHL action in Winnipeg on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods

WINNIPEG — Gabriel Vilardi scored twice and star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 24 saves in his first game back from injury to power the Jets to a 5-1 victory over the Washington Capitals on Saturday that snapped Winnipeg’s three-game losing skid.

The reigning Hart and Vezina Trophy winner had arthroscopic knee surgery exactly three weeks earlier on Nov. 22. The timeline for his return had been estimated at four to six weeks. Hellebuyck had missed 12 games and the team went 2-9-1 during his absence.

Alex Iafallo had a goal and assist, while Logan Stanley and Morgan Barron also scored for the Jets (15-15-1). Adam Lowry, Josh Morrissey, Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele each chipped in a pair of assists.

Jakob Chychrun nixed Winnipeg’s shutout bid when he scored on a two-man advantage with 3:28 left in the third.

Logan Thompson stopped 30 shots for Washington (18-10-4), which had its nine-game point streak snapped (7-1-2).

The Jets outshot the Capitals 13-3 in the first period. Washington’s first two shots came during its power play that started at 6:50 of the opening period.

Stanley scored his fifth goal of the season 23 seconds after the man advantage expired when he swatted the puck out of the air into the net after it bounced off the backboards from Morrissey’s point shot at 9:13.

The new line of Barron, Lowry and Iafallo also accounted for the next two goals.

Barron made it 2-0 with 1:17 remaining in the first period, then Iafallo was credited with a goal when the puck went off the stick of Washington forward Justin Sourdif 3:39 into the second frame.

Vilardi notched his 15th goal of the season with seven seconds remaining. Kyle Connor assisted, extending his point streak to eight games. He has four goals and eight helpers during that span.

Vilardi and Chychrun had the third-period goals.

TAKEAWAYS

Jets: Forward Nino Niederreiter played his 1,000th NHL career game. He’s the first Swiss-born player to reach that milestone. Family and friends travelled to watch his special achievement and the team presented him with a silver stick. Vilardi’s goal was his team-leading sixth power-play marker. Winnipeg has now allowed a power-play marker in eight consecutive games, their longest streak since Nov. 12-25, 2015.

Capitals: Thompson marked his first regulation loss in his past eight starts (5-1-2). Washington’s loss ended its five-game road point streak (4-1-1).

KEY MOMENT

Vilardi’s power-play goal with seven seconds remaining in the middle period took some wind out of the Caps’ sails.

KEY STAT

Winnipeg’s defence limited Washington to 25 shots, with Hellebuyck stopping all but one during a two-man power play.

UP NEXT

Capitals: Visit the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday.

Jets: Host the Ottawa Senators on Monday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 13, 2025.

Judy Owen, The Canadian Press