Finally! After losing nine of 10 games, the Winnipeg Jets put together a complete game in a 5-0 skunking of the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night.
“It’s nice knowing who we’re going to play,” the Jets’ Paul Stastny said. “I think it’s finding ways to try to minimize [the Oilers’] chances off the rush. They’re going to make plays, they’re going to score goals, they’re going to score points, but for us it’s how do we adjust our game to make us successful.”
Connor Hellebuyck made 24 saves in the win.
“I’ve liked my game for a while,” Hellebuyck said. “I thought it’s been getting better and better, and when the team puts that performance in front of me, we can grow this as a group, and this is the confidence we need going into the playoffs. We can’t go into the playoffs losing. It never works. We played a really good game tonight, and I’m really excited to see how we carry this forward.”
Blake Wheeler scored twice for the Jets.
“[Coach Paul Maurice] had one of his all-time best [pregame] speeches, put it all into perspective,” Wheeler said. “[Stastny] is the type of guy that goes about his business. He doesn’t say a whole lot, doesn’t command the spotlight or a whole lot of attention. His teammates respect the [heck] out of him for it. It was a night that was kind of a galvanizing sort of moment for our team. We wanted to have a good night for him. We wanted it to be a memorable night for him.”
The Jets clinched third in the North Division.
Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele also scored for the Jets.
“The first few goals were kind of our identity,” Wheeler said. “Nothing special through the neutral zone, just make their [defensemen] turn, go get the puck, and just forecheck them and force them into making mistakes.”
Mason Appleton scored midway through the third period for the 5-0 final.
“That’s kind of unacceptable,” Vancouver’s Tanner Pearson said. “We just can’t stop playing hockey for no reason or else we’re going to hang out our goalies to dry, which we did tonight, pretty much.”
Braden Holtby made 31 saves in the loss.
“I feel bad for [Holtby] tonight,” Canucks head coach Travis Green said. “We weren’t good in any areas of the game, and when you’re not good in any areas, you’re going to give up a lot of chances.
“We weren’t good, plain and simple. They’re a good team trying to get ready for the playoffs, and we weren’t up to that level tonight.”
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