In St Louis Thursday night, the Winnipeg Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck made 41 saves to defeat the Blues, 5-1.
The new season started for Hellebuyck right where he left off last season with a strong performance the Jets could ride to a win.
“I was having some fun out there, I was enjoying everything,” Hellebuyck said. “The guys made it so easy on me. I was able to square up and do my job. I think that’s the key. Everyone was doing their job. If they do that at the highest level, I think we should be a good team.”
Five different skaters struck for the Jets to their offense rolling early in the new campaign including Patrik Laine, Kyle Connor, Blake Wheeler, Adam Lowry, and Brandon Tanev.
But the offense credited Hellebuyck for the win.
“He was unreal,” Laine said of Hellebuyck. “Just ridiculous, watching from the bench those saves he made. He was really good tonight, and I think he was easily the best player on the ice tonight.”
Vince Dunn scored to lone goal for the Blues in the loss.
“It’s tough, it’s the first game and certainly not going to go overboard here with what we’re feeling,” St. Louis coach Mike Yeo said. “Obviously it’s disappointing. I think that there’s a lot to learn from the game about our group and playing against a good team like that and what goes into winning games. I think we had some opportunities and didn’t capitalize.”
[WATCH: All Jets vs. Blues highlights]
Jake Allen made 20 saves in taking the loss.
“We kind of beat ourselves there,” Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo said. “Yeah, we gave up the shorthanded goal, but it’s the ones after that that we have to grab control of. I thought we were good up to that point. We had a lot of really good looks, especially on the power play. When you’re not capitalizing, can’t make those kinds of mistakes.”
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