Hellebuyck healthy, back at full strength

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This article was published 19/02/2023 (932 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

NEWARK — It wasn’t the triumphant return to the net that Connor Hellebuyck was hoping for. But Winnipeg’s co-MVP — defenceman Josh Morrissey would be the other prime candidate — was just happy to be back in a familiar place after a flu bug knocked him for a loop last week.

“I was definitely gassed and not feeling well. Really under the weather,” is how Hellebuyck described the illness.

He didn’t even come to the rink last Tuesday as the Jets finished up a homestand against the Seattle Kraken. No. 2 David Rittich, pressed into an unexpected start, stopped 27 of 29 shots in a 3-2 shootout victory for the Jets. Moose goaltender Arvid Holm was called up to serve as the backup.

Hellebuyck felt good enough to travel on the charter the next day but was again a spectator, this time from the bench, as the Jets began the road trip on Thursday with a 3-1 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Rittich stopped 21 of 23 shots, but the game-winner in the third period by Kent Johnson was one he’d certainly like back.

“I probably could’ve played last game but it wasn’t the smartest thing to do,” said Hellebuyck. “We manage our goalies well here. We have two guys that can play. We’re going to use them.”

Hellebuyck, playing for the first time in eight days, stopped 25 of 28 shots on Sunday against New Jersey — and got help from a trio of posts the Devils hit — as his team squandered a 2-1 lead to start the third period and fell 4-2.

“They’re definitely a good team. They’re going to be a force to be reckoned with. But I saw us in control most of that game. We let it slip away at the end, but there were some good things out of our game,” said Hellebuyck.

“We just have to lean on the character and use this little stretch to learn and grow.”

Now the question is whether he might make up for one of those missed starts and try and help the cause by playing in a rare back-to-back situation as the Jets face the New York Rangers on Monday night.

“Yeah I feel healthy enough now. I feel great. I’ll always be ready,” he said. “But we have a full team for a reason. If we have to use everyone, we’ll use everyone.”

Jets coach Rick Bowness didn’t rule it out, only saying “we’ll see” when asked. With the Jets stuck in a 5-7-0 rut and facing mounting pressure from several teams behind them, it would make sense to go with your best — especially since no travel was involved, with Winnipeg remaining in the same New York hotel.

Hellebuyck, who has started 42 of 56 games, is now 25-16-1 on the year with a 2.43 goals against average and .924 save percentage. Rittich is 9-5-0 with a 2.49 GAA and .911 SV%.

The 29-year-old, who already has won one Vezina Trophy and is certainly in the mix again this year, is on record as saying the only trophy he now cares about is the Stanley Cup. Hellebuyck continues to believe it’s possible with this club, despite some recent struggles.

“Even in playoffs, we’re going to hit some adversity and we want to get out of it as fast as possible. We just have to come together even closer as a team and get out of this,” he said.

“We’ve been playing hard. This could be a bad stretch. It’s better now than playoff time. We still have plenty of time to get on that hot streak. Like everyone always says, you want to peak at the right time.”

ANOTHER FALSE ALARM — Speaking of Morrissey, it’s no secret he needs just one more point to become the all-time Jets 2.0/Atlanta Thrashers franchise leader for points in a single season by a defenceman. It looked like he got it on Kyle Connor’s goal last Thursday in Columbus, only for his assist to be taken away and changed to Pierre-Luc Dubois.

History repeated itself Sunday, as Morrissey was given a helper on Cole Perfetti’s first period goal against New Jersey. But, moments later, it was switched to Mark Scheifele.

So history is on hold, for now. Perhaps third time will be the charm?

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg