Flames' skid hits 8 games with loss to surging Jets

Gabriel Vilardi netted one goal and one assist and Josh Morrissey collected three assists during a four-goal second period as the host Winnipeg Jets held on for a 5-3 victory over the Calgary Flames on Friday. Kyle Connor, Jonathan Toews, Alex Iafallo and Vladislav Namestnikov also scored for the Jets, who have won six of seven games. Mark Scheifele netted two helpers. Goaltender Eric Comrie made 30 saves. Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman both collected one goal and one assist for the struggling Flames, who have lost eight straight games since winning their season opener and sit at the bottom of the league standings. Goalie Dustin Wolf stopped 27 shots. After trailing by one goal through the first period, the Jets took the lead thanks to a pair of goals 65 seconds apart in the middle frame. Connor tied the clash at 5:19 when he converted a one-timer set up by Morrissey on a 2-on-1 rush. Toews put Winnipeg ahead soon after by going to the front of the net and redirecting Morrissey's sharp-angled pass for his second goal of the season, both coming against Calgary. Vilardi made it 3-1 with a man-advantage marker at 9:50 when he lifted a short-side shot for his first of the season. Backlund made it a one-goal game at 13:56 of the period when he was sprung on a partial break and finished a forehand deke for his second goal of the season. Rookie Sam Honzek netted his first career point with an assist on the goal. However, Iafallo restored Winnipeg's two-goal edge with another power-play goal with 70 seconds remaining in the frame, finishing a one-timer from the slot for his second of the campaign. Coleman made it 4-3 at 8:27 of the third period when he finished an open chance while left alone to net his third of the season and the visitors pressed for the tying marker, but Namestnikov's empty-net goal with eight seconds on the clock sealed the victory. In their quest to snap their skid, the Flames had the early jump and were rewarded when Nazem Kadri's power-play goal opened the scoring at 5:18 by burying a one-timer from the right face-off dot for his first goal of the season. Rookie defenseman Zayne Parekh collected his first career assist on the Kadri goal. He led Flames' defensemen with 4:35 time on ice during their six power play opportunities. –Field Level Media

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