NASHVILLE, Tenn – Winnipeg was in a must-win game coming into Nashville Tuesday night as they were seven points back of the Predators before this game and were also looking to bounce back after a lackluster performance Sunday night in Anaheim. They were outplayed badly Tuesday but found a way to get the two points with the help of their rookie goalie Connor Hellebuyck who should be arrested for robbery after he stopped 43 shots in a massive 4-1 Jets win.
“That’s five in eight for us on the road and the last four,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said. “It’s a long flight from Anaheim and a two-hour time change so you’re worried about the first 10 minutes more than any other part of the hockey game, and they know it so they come with an awful lot of speed and an awful lot of jump.
“I almost think it was a benefit to [Hellebuyck] that they shot absolutely everything. There might have been some seam plays and some other plays that never developed, but it was just keep ripping it at the net. He was rested, he was the freshest guy in our lineup and he looked great.”
Hellebuyck continues to show why he is the next one for the Jets as he improves his record to 9-4 and was named the game’s second star and has been a star in seven of the past nine games he has played.
The Jets had no business winning this game but found a way and also scored two power play goals which proved to be huge in the final outcome. Nashville ended the game 0-for-4 with the man advantage.
“We just kind of had a tough time handling the puck and a tough time really doing a whole lot,” Jets forward Blake Wheeler said. “That’s when your goaltender has got to be great when you have a slow start, and he hung in there and gave us a chance. That seemed to kind of suck the life out of them a little bit.”
Drew Stafford led the way for Winnipeg scoring two power play markers his 13th, giving the Jets a 1-0 lead, and 14th goals of the year.
“It was a great play by [Myers] just driving it wide,” Stafford said of his first goal of the night. “Just go to the net with your stick on the ice, and I was able to sneak one by. I was just trying to get good wood on it. I wasn’t really putting it anywhere specific.”
Ben Chiarot got his first of the season and Alex Burmistrov scored his fourth into an empty net.
“I thought it was Ben Chiarot‘s best game of the year,” Maurice said. “He was fantastic. His jump, [he had] energy in his game.”
Colin Wilson scored the lone goal for the Preds as he snapped his fourth of the season to break the goose egg by Hellebuyck.
“He played terrific,” Predators coach Peter Laviolette said of Wilson. “He had lots of opportunities. It was nice to see him cash in. Again, it probably gets frustrating when you get those opportunities and they don’t go, so it was nice to see him get one.”
Jacob Trouba had a strong game and played almost 27 minutes and had some key blocks to help preserve this win.
The Jets even up their overall record at 19-19-2 and are 2-2 on this trip as they head to Dallas to end off this 5 game trip with another huge division battle against the top team the Dallas Stars.
The Jets will hope for a better offensive showing and less shots being directed at their net against a very skilled Stars team on Thursday night.
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