Can’t beat Hellebuyck

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This article was published 07/11/2024 (334 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Connor Hellebuyck seemingly can’t be beat. And his Winnipeg Jets simply can’t be stopped.

A 1-0 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night at Canada Life Centre is just the latest in a rapidly growing list of stellar results from the NHL’s No. 1 team and the planet’s best puck-stopper.

The reigning Vezina Trophy winner turned aside all 35 shots he faced for his second consecutive shutout, third of the season and 40th of a career that is very much looking Hall of Fame worthy.

Meanwhile, Winnipeg is now an incredible 13-1-0 on the year, even if they weren’t particularly happy with parts of this latest performance.

“We got two points. I mean we’re here in November. If we’re sitting in February, March, April, we’re probably not very happy about it,” said head coach Scott Arniel.

“We found a way to win the hockey game. We had a good first period. After that, we were downhill. Those guys all know that. I didn’t have to say much. They all knew that. Helle put on a performance and got the two points. On to the next one.”

1. A HOCKEY EXORCISM? Although they won’t really admit it publicly, you have to imagine this latest triumph tastes sweeter than the others.

The Jets were staring their most recent playoff demons right in the face, as the Avalanche quickly put an end to their Stanley Cup aspirations last spring in a five-game playoff series victory.

That painful defeat led to some serious offseason soul searching by the squad. Given how they’ve come sprinting out of the gate, it would appear some valuable lessons have been learned.

“We weren’t going into this game thinking of retribution from last year. It wasn’t that. It was another opponent here in November, in a very busy schedule,” said Arniel.

Sure, the Avalanche are a bit depleted these days due to some key injuries and absences, but they still had the league’s No. 1 and No. 2 scorers entering play in Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar. Both had their season-opening 13 game point streaks snapped.

The Jets spent a bit more time than they’d like defending in their own zone in the second and third periods but ultimately were able to bend, but not break.

“It’s always good to beat a divisional opponent, especially with them beating us last year, so it feels good to get the win,” said forward Gabe Vilardi.

“There’s no sugar coating, it wasn’t our best game. I mean, Bucky won that game for us. It’s that simple. Think we had a good first period, and then after that, it just kind of, we kind of lost it somewhere in the middle of the second. We’ve got the best goalie in the world, but we can’t play like that and expect to win very many games.”

Colorado falls to 6-8-0 on the year.

2. HELLY’S HIGHLIGHTS: A stone cold robbery of the incomparable Makar off a rebound chance around the midway mark of the third period was Hellebuyck’s best save of the night, but there were plenty of others.

“I had my hands in front of me and my core was activated,” Hellebuyck explained.

“When I made eye contact with that puck I had a really good jump and I had all my weight moving that way and was able to get my blocker down as well. When the puck hits you, it’s hits you.”

He was especially big and boring — that’s when he’s at his best — in the final 70 seconds with Josh Morrissey in the penalty box, Alexandar Georgiev pulled for an extra attacker and the Jets hanging on for dear life at a 6-on-4 disadvantage.

Looking at this season, Hellebuyck’s numbers are other-worldly. He is 10-1-0 with a 1.91 goals-against-average and .932 save percentage. At this rate, he is well on his way to a fifth Vezina nomination and perhaps a third victory.

The Michigan product is now working his way into the conversation as best of all time from his country. Hellebuyck is now tied for fourth among American goaltenders in terms of career shutouts. Only Jonathan Quick (60), Ryan Miller (44) ad Craig Anderson (43) are ahead of him. His 285 wins rank seventh among all goaltenders.

Keep in mind the 31-year-old is in the first year of a seven-year contract extension with the Jets.

“Once you get your rhythm, things just start to click. That’s why I like to play a lot,” said Hellebuyck. “No. 40 feels really good. That’s one of those milestones. One more is just the 300 wins. I’m really looking forward to that this season. Hopefully, I can achieve it, but this one feels really good.”

3. AN EARLY DANCE PARTY: Many of the 12,918 in attendance at the downtown rink were doing The Macarena just 66 seconds into the game as Winnipeg’s top line came through.

Mark Scheifele made a nice defensive play in his own end, then went the other way on a two-on-one rush with Vilardi. He fed a perfect pass to his linemate, who waited out a sliding Georgiev to bury his sixth of the season.

Vilardi’s earworm of a goal song had the place hopping, along with the “Georgiev, Georgiev” chants which rained down during Game 1 of the playoffs last April as the Jets put seven past the Bulgarian.

Scheifele and Vilardi both extended their team-high point streaks to six games on the play.

“I think on the on the 2-on-1s, I’m expecting to get that puck every time from him,” said Vilardi.

“I’ve seen him do it in practice so many times. He always finds the triangles under the stick, whether it’s through the legs, whatever it is, he’ll wait a guy out and find the seam and that’s on 2-on-1s, that’s on power play. That’s all over the ice because he’s he just such a smart player.”

However, given Georgiev credit. After getting beat on the first shot of the night, he stopped the other 27 that came his way including a glorious glove grab off Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers in the third period which kept his team within striking distance.

Georgiev came into the game with just one win in six starts and a bloated 4.62 GAA and .822 save percentage, so it felt like a bold move by head coach Jared Bednar to go with the veteran over young backup Justus Annunen, who was 5-2 with a 2.64 GAA.

4. LOVE FROM TEEMU: The Jets are turning plenty of heads with their play, and no doubt making some alumni proud. Take Teemu Selanne, for example, who took to social media on Thursday to sing Winnipeg’s praises.

“You guys rock. Keep it going boys. Stay hungry. Fun to watch. Friendly Manitoba deserves that,” the Finnish Flash wrote.

5. AFTERBURNER:

Key play: We’ll go with the Vilardi goal, which turned out to be the only offence on the night and the game-winner.

Three stars:

1. Jets G Connor Hellebuyck: 35 save shutout

2. Avs G Alexandar Georgiev: 27 saves

2. Jets RW Gabe Vilardi: 1 goal, 4 shots

6. EXTRA, EXTRA:

Winnipeg went 0-for-2 on the power play and 1-for-1 on the penalty kill.

Defencemen Haydn Fleury and Dylan Coghlan and forward David Gustafsson were once again the healthy scratches.

The Jets are now a perfect 5-0-0 against the Central Division this season after going 20-5-1 against their closest rivals last year. They’ll conclude this homestand by hosting the Dallas Stars on Saturday afternoon.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X: @mikemcintyrewpg