Connor Hellebuyck was named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy this season. Tuesday night he showed why he deserved the nomination when he made 30 saves to blank the Minnesota Wild, 2-0.
The win gives the Winnipeg Jets a 3-1 series lead heading home for Game 5.
It was a bounce back effort for Hellebuyck who was pulled in a Game 3 loss where he gave up six goals.
“Anytime you get scored on, you get better from it,” Hellebuyck said. “We went back and prepared the same way. There’s no differences in my game, no matter if I give up 10 or pitch a shutout.”
Mark Scheifele struck for both Jets goals; the second goal was empty-netter with 11 seconds left.
“We know we didn’t play our game the other day, and we knew we wanted to get back to our fast game, and I felt like we got to that right off the bat,” Scheifele said.
The back and forth game was tight throughout but the Jets’ line of Scheifele, Blake Wheeler and Kyle Connor was exceptional/
“[Mark Scheifele] was outstanding. Especially in Game 2, that (top) line had done all they needed to do except score,” Jets head coach Paul Maurice said. “At some point, you need your drivers to be the difference in the game, and they were the one line we had that had some sustained offense and some pressure. Scored a huge goal at the end of the period. They needed that, a good feeling, and to be a clear difference-maker.”
[WATCH: All Jets vs. Wild highlights | Complete Jets vs. Wild series coverage]
Devan Dubnyk made 26 saves in taking the loss.
“You can’t start looking at the hill you have to climb overall — that’s not how you have to approach it. It’s next game,” Dubnyk said. “We have to win one hockey game in Winnipeg, and we’re more than capable of doing that.”
Zach Parise did not play following a fractured sternum injury in Game 3.
“I really feel bad for him. When we found out yesterday, the sadness on his face was more affected by, here’s a guy that’s worked so hard to get back to where he was and so hard to want to play for his hometown and bring glory and he finally gets to that spot, and this happens, you know,” Wild head coach Bruce Boudreau said.
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