‘That’s what is expected of us’: Jets’ top line shows up in major way in victory

WINNIPEG — Gabriel Vilardi may have scored two goals, but he was really impressed with linemate Kyle Connor’s marker that sealed a 6-3 Winnipeg Jets’ victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday.

“It was a nasty view, I’ll tell you that,” said Vilardi, who also recorded an assist. “It was a pretty cool goal to see from there.

“I was just trying to make a wall (in front) – throw it back door, and maybe it hits me and goes in, but he did a nice play. That was nice.”

Connor skated across the front of the net with the puck and appeared to be heading behind it when he flipped a backhand behind goalie Spencer Knight that hit the crossbar and went in to make 6-3 with 2:41 left in the game.

Winnipeg’s top line of Connor, Vilardi and Mark Scheifele each had three-point nights. Vilardi had two goals and an assist and Scheifele and Connor each posted a goal and pair of helpers.

Vilardi didn’t score a goal in his first seven games, but has four in his past four outings for the 8-3-0 Jets.

“(Vilardi) was stressing pretty hard there about getting his first,” Winnipeg head coach Scott Arniel said. “And ever since, he’s actually… Like I’ve mentioned, it looks like he’s skating 10 miles per hour faster.

“But that line was obviously outstanding. (Vilardi is) a goal scorer. He gets to holes, he gets to places, and he can make things happen. And those three, the chemistry that they have. They all have different things that they bring to the line and Gabe knows what his role is. He’s really starting to play it.”

Vilardi could feel the trio was clicking.

“I thought we played really well,” he said. “Those two are going to do what they do. They’re unreal to play with. That’s what is expected of us. We’ve got to keep doing that.”

Vladislav Namestnikov and Josh Morrissey had Winnipeg’s other goals. Morrissey also had a helper and Dylan DeMelo contributed a pair of assists. Connor Hellebuyck made 21 saves.

Teuvo Teravainen, Alex Vlasic and Andre Burakovsky scored and Connor Bedard and Connor Murphy each had two assists for Chicago (5-4-2), which was starting a six-game road trip. Knight stopped 26 shots.

“Obviously they have one of the best top lines in the league and those guys get opportunities they’re gonna make you pay, and they did tonight,” Chicago head coach Jeff Blashill said of the Jets.

Scheifele leads the team with nine goals and eight assists. His nine markers is in a logjam with the NHL’s other goal-scoring leaders.

Connor has six goals and 15 points and Vilardi had four markers and seven helpers.

Morrissey described the top line as “unreal.”

“Three very talented guys that all complement each other kind of uniquely and really well,” Morrissey said.

He’s looking forward to seeing the three build on their early success.

“Goal scorers like that, I feel like they get one and you can’t stop them,” Morrissey said. “So it’s gonna be fun to watch them here going forward. But yeah, they were unreal all night, and they’ve been great for us all year.”

The Jets scored quick goals in each of the first two periods.

After Chicago took a penalty at 1:21 of the first period, Namestnikov scored 21 seconds later on a quick feed from behind the net by Gustav Nyquist.

Nyquist left the game later in the period and didn’t return. Arniel said he “tweaked” something and was being assessed.

An unlucky bounce led to the Blackhawks evening it up at 8:57.

Hellebuyck went to play a puck when it was dumped in the corner, but it hit a seam in the boards and bounced straight to Teravainen as he was skating to the front of the net.

Scheifele and Vilardi scored in the middle frame.

The third period featured Morrissey and Vlasic’s first goals of the season, followed by Burakovsky and Connor’s marker to finished off the scoring.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 30, 2025.