Hellebuyck makes 31 saves, Jets recover to defeat Flames in shootout

CALGARY -- Connor Hellebuyck made 31 saves, and the Winnipeg Jets recovered for a 4-3 shootout win against the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome on Saturday.

Gabriel Vilardi scored the lone goal in the shootout after Matt Coronato’s power-play goal for Calgary tied it 3-3 at 18:46 of the third period.

“Even when they came back, we just hung in there,” said Winnipeg coach Scott Arniel, who praised Vilardi for ending the game in the shootout with a wrist shot to the top corner. “Gabe, we know those hands, we’ve seen those hands. It’s nice to finish it right there.”

Mark Scheifele, Cole Perfetti and Tanner Pearson scored for the Jets (11-7-0), who finished their six-game road trip with a 2-4-0 record. Kyle Connor and Josh Morrissey each had two assists.

“Tonight was a good example of us battling through a little bit of adversity, whether it was a couple unfortunate bounces going into our net and some unlucky stuff going our way,” Perfetti said. “I think that was a great test for our group and shows that we’re able to fight through that.”

Coronato also had an assist, and Jake Bean and Kevin Bahl scored for the Flames (5-12-3), who have lost four of five. Morgan Frost had two assists, and Dustin Wolf made 20 saves.

“We have to fight for every point, every win,” Bahl said. “In terms of competitiveness, every guy in this room is a competitive guy. I don’t think it’s going to be one of those things where guys just let it get out of control. We’re going to fight every single night.”

Scheifele gave the Jets a 1-0 lead at 7:19 of the second period after he took a pass from Connor and scored on a snap shot from the right circle that beat Wolf to the far side.

Bean scored 33 seconds later to tie it 1-1 when his shot from the left boards deflected off the shaft of Perfetti’s stick and past Hellebuyck.

“Regardless of where they’re at in the standings, every time you play the Flames they’re a competitive team and they work hard and they throw a lot of pucks at the net as well,” Morrissey said. “That seems to be a bit of their MO lately, getting a lot of shots, so I thought we battled hard. Obviously you don’t like to give up the one late, but at the end of the day, you have to be resilient and find ways to win and if it takes 65 (minutes)-plus, it is what it is, and we’re happy to get the two points.”

Pearson’s goal after another 33 seconds put Winnipeg back ahead 2-1 at 8:25, scoring on a snap shot from the slot. Defenseman Luke Schenn’s point shot deflected off both Bean and Frost and right to Pearson.

“Obviously, this road trip hasn’t gone the way we wanted it to,” Arniel said. “I just talked to the guys about putting everything out there. I just liked that we were resilient and that there was a little more of that urgency that we need.”

Bahl tied it 2-2 at 13:29 after his point shot deflected off Winnipeg defenseman Logan Stanley’s foot and past Hellebuyck.

“When I can squeak one in and get a good hard shot from the point or just jump in, I’ll do that,” Bahl said. “So it was nice to get that.”

Perfetti scored on the power play to give Winnipeg a 3-2 lead at 1:20 of the third period. Connor’s shot hit the post and bounced into the crease for Perfetti, who tapped in his first goal of the season in his fourth game.

“It felt good,” Perfetti said. “I was really happy to contribute on the power play there. The power plays are trending in the right direction now and we’re starting to make an impact in games, and it feels good to be a part of that and to contribute.”

NOTES: Morrissey extended his point streak to five games (two goals, six assists), while Connor extended his to four games (two goals, three assists). … For Morrissey, it’s his seventh career point streak of at least five games, tying him with Toby Enstrom for the second most among Jets/Thrashers defensemen. Dustin Byfuglien (10 times) has the most. … Frost’s first assist on Bean’s goal was the 100th of his career. … Calgary forward Samuel Honzek left the game in the second period and didn’t return after colliding with teammate Mikael Backlund in the defensive zone shortly before Scheifele scored. “He’s got an upper-body injury,” Huska said after the game. “We’ll have to find out tomorrow when he gets reevaluated.”