The Winnipeg Jets welcomed back a familiar face in Nikolaj Ehlers as they hosted the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday night at Canada Life Centre, but were unable to extend their two-game winning streak, falling 4-3 in regulation. Gabriel Vilardi scored twice and Josh Morrissey added another, extending his point streak to seven games. Eric Comrie stopped 24 of 28 shots in the loss.

With news that star netminder Connor Hellebuyck will undergo arthroscopic knee surgery and is expected to miss four to six weeks, backup Eric Comrie has stepped into the starter’s role, with Thomas Milic now backing him up.

Carolina struck on the first shot of the game just 16 seconds in, courtesy of captain Jordan Staal. From there, Comrie settled in and delivered key saves when Winnipeg needed them.

“Eric comes out with the same mindset every day, so we come out with the same mindset every day,” said Vilardi. “He’s playing more now, obviously. But he’s up for that challenge. It doesn’t change much for us.”

The Jets ran into trouble in the second period, generating only four shots on goal. With Winnipeg leading 2-1, Staal scored his second of the night to tie the game. Later, with the Jets on the power play, Seth Jarvis buried a rebound for a shorthanded goal. Andrei Svechnikov extended Carolina’s lead to 4-2 with a power-play marker early in the third. Winnipeg pushed back, making things interesting with Vilardi’s second of the night, but the comeback fell short.

Former Jet Nikolaj Ehlers made his return to Winnipeg after spending the past 10 seasons with the franchise. During a TV timeout in the first period, the Jets played a video tribute for the Danish forward on the jumbotron.

Winnipeg closes out its three-game homestand Sunday afternoon in its annual Hockey Fights Cancer game as the Minnesota Wild visit Canada Life Centre. Puck drop is at 3:00 p.m. CST on TSN3.