Hellebuyck sets franchise record with Jets 4-1 win over Flames

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This article was published 04/02/2021 (1676 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Calm, cool and collected. We haven’t seen a whole lot of that so far from these Winnipeg Jets, who have struggled to find consistency and put together a complete 60-minute effort early in the new season.

All those positive traits were on full display Thursday night in a heady, steady 4-1 victory over the Calgary Flames at Bell MTS Place. Winnipeg improves to 7-3-1 with a second straight triumph over their Alberta rivals, who fall to 4-5-1. 

It was a milestone outing for goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, who made 23 saves to set a franchise record with his 153rd career victory. 

“At this moment, it means a lot. I care a lot about this organization, they’ve given me my shot and I care about the guys in front of me. It’s a testament to all the guys that I’ve played with. We just keep racking up wins, and it’s really exciting and I’m really glad I get to share it with these guys,” said Hellebuyck, who had been tied with Ondrej Pavelec.

When we last saw Hellebuyck, he was neither calm, cool or collected as he smashed his stick to pieces over the crossbar after Calgary completed the comeback with a 4-3 victory on Monday to kick off three straight games in Winnipeg. The reigning Vezina Trophy winner was given Tuesday’s game off to stew about it, watching as backup Laurent Brossoit backed the Jets to a rather erratic 3-2 win in which they built an early lead, then hung on for dear life.

After a bumpy start to his year, Hellebuyck was back to his usual self in Thursday’s rubber match, with only a slick deflection by Calgary’s Andrew Mangiapane getting by him in the final minute of the first period. There were a handful of highlight-reel saves, including two with his glove in the early going. 

“You know, we’re a tight unit right now. We have support everywhere and it’s really starting to get easy — I mean, it’s never easy — but it kind of is easier to understand my role, my job. And to be able to square up to these shooters and know where my threats are. It makes my job easier, and the guys around me trust me to do that job. I think the team defence right now is very good,” said Hellebuyck.

Winnipeg erased that early 1-0 deficit with four unanswered goals. Mason Appleton tied it 3:31 into the second period, converting a pretty passing play with linemates Adam Lowry and Mathieu Perreault. Kyle Connor notched the game-winner at 13:59 of the middle frame, stealing a puck in his own zone and bursting away on a breakaway, eventually beating Jacob Markstrom for his team-leading seventh.

Mark Scheifele gave the Jets some breathing room at 19:09 of the period, pouncing on a loose puck in front of the Calgary net. The No. 1 centre made a terrific play about a dozen seconds earlier to knock down a Flames clearing attempt and keep the offensive pressure on. Appleton sealed the victory with an empty-netter with just over a minute left. Perreault finished the night with three assists.

“Pretty much everything,” Perreault said when asked what he liked about this latest effort. “It’s been something we’ve been talking about a lot, knowing our D-zone, where to position ourselves. (Thursday) it feels like everybody was in the right spot at the right time and if we weren’t then (Hellebuyck) was making the big saves. All in all, it was a great game.”

There was plenty of focus on Blake Wheeler, who has struggled mightily at five-on-five this season and began the night a team-worst minus-nine. He looks to be battling some kind of undisclosed injury as his ice time has plummeted in recent games, along with his speed. Jets coach Paul Maurice had a passionate defence of his captain a day earlier, lashing out at any critics of his play.

Wheeler was a non-factor in this one, with one shot on goal in just over 16 minutes of play. He took two minor penalties, and was even skipped over on his final shift of the night in favour of fourth-liner Trevor Lewis, who took a shift with Connor and Paul Stastny. The Jets survived both of Wheeler’s minors, plus two others, to make it 13 straight penalty kills on this homestand. Jets shutdown centre Adam Lowry was a big piece of that, but pointed to his netminder as the main cause.

“You saw him upset after that (last) game. He’s a competitor. He wants to win every night. We appreciate that he gives us a chance night in and night out. He’s the backbone of our team and to give him not necessarily an easier night because he did make some big saves, made some big saves on the PK, and when the game’s tight but a game when he’s not having to face 35 or 40 shots it certainly makes life easier on a goalie,” said Lowry.

“To see him get that franchise record, it’s certainly well-earned. He’s a guy that works every day at his game and he’s continued to get better. And he’s never satisfied. He gets the Vezina last year and rightfully so, he really deserved that, he’s kind of come in this year and picked up where he left off and he gives us a chance to win every night.” 

The Jets are sitting comfortably in third place in the Canadian Division, just two points behind Toronto and one behind Montreal. That’s even more impressive when you consider they’ve done it all without centre Pierre-Luc Dubois, who has yet to play after a blockbuster trade with Columbus nearly two weeks ago. Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic, who went the other way in the deal, have already played two and five games respectively for the Blue Jackets, with both scoring their first goals Thursday night.

Dubois, 22, will emerge from mandatory quarantine Saturday and join the Jets for practice Sunday. He could make his debut next Tuesday when they face the Flames for a fourth straight game, this time in Calgary. Winnipeg could also get defenceman Tucker Poolman back by then, as he’s been out of the lineup since the season-opener due to COVID-19 protocol.

“I think this team learns fast. And I think they can process the game at a high level. The bench is great right now, the room’s great, the practices are sharp. I think they’re having fun playing together. They look like a group that’s learning together and working on their own game,” said Maurice.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg