ST. LOUIS — The Winnipeg Jets secured their franchise’s record-tying ninth consecutive victory on Saturday night, overcoming the St. Louis Blues with a thrilling 4-3 finish, which included a last-minute goal from Gabriel Vilardi and a decisive effort in the shootout by Kyle Connor.

Vilardi not only scored the crucial equalizer with just 28 seconds left in regulation while Eric Comrie was pulled for an extra attacker, but he also netted a goal during the first period. In addition, Nikolaj Ehlers contributed another goal for the Jets, while Comrie protected the net with 21 saves. The Jets had previously accomplished eight straight victories twice before, the most recent stretch occurring from October 9 to October 26 this season.

On the other side, St. Louis was led by Robert Thomas, who scored twice, and Pavel Buchnevich, who added one more goal. Joel Hofer recorded 26 saves throughout the match for the Blues, though the team has struggled recently, winning just two of their last nine games.

In terms of notable takeaways, the Jets pulled off the win without their star goalie Connor Hellebuyck and key defenseman Josh Morrissey, both of whom did not travel with the team to St. Louis following the 4 Nations Face-Off. Meanwhile, the Blues were left to rue several missed scoring opportunities early in the game, which contributed to their ongoing struggles.

A critical moment in the match came when Jets defenseman Neal Pionk was penalized twice for holding with 4:28 remaining. This opened the door for Buchnevich, who capitalized on a power play to score his twelfth goal of the season, giving the Blues a 3-2 lead with only 2:50 left. However, Vilardi swiftly answered with his second goal of the game, which marked his 26th of the season.

A crucial statistic from the game reveals that the Jets hold a strong record of 15-5-0 against teams in the Central Division.

Looking ahead, the Jets will play host to the San Jose Sharks on Monday night, while the Blues are set to face the Colorado Avalanche at home on Sunday.