Hellebuyck sets personal mark for shutouts as Jets blank Avs
Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck stopped all 25 shots he faced for his record-setting fifth shutout of the season and the 11th shutout of his career, and the Winnipeg Jets cruised to a 3-0 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday night at Bell MTS Place.
Patrik Laine, Jack Roslovic and Nikolaj Ehlers scored one goal apiece for the Jets. Winnipeg earned its fifth win in the past seven games as it remains on track to reach the postseason for only the second time since the franchise relocated from Atlanta before the start of the 2011-12 season.
Colorado was shut out for the second time this season and the first time since Oct. 27 against the Vegas Golden Knights. Carl Soderberg led the Avalanche with four shots on goal.
Hellebuyck stopped 10 shots in the first period, four shots in the second period and 11 shots in the third period to improve to 27-6-8. He topped his previous single-season record of four shutouts, which he set in 2016-17.
Colorado goaltender Semyon Varlamov allowed two goals on 31 shots to fall to 13-10-2. The Avalanche pulled Varlamov for an extra attacker in the final minutes, but Ehlers scored into an empty net to seal the outcome.
Winnipeg capitalized on an early power play to grab a 1-0 advantage 2:27 after the opening faceoff. Laine blasted a one-timer from the left circle for his 24th goal of the season and his third goal in the past four games. Blake Wheeler set up Laine's goal with a pinpoint, cross-ice pass.
Roslovic put Winnipeg on top 2-0 with 14:43 remaining in the third period. He beat Varlamov with a wrist shot for his second goal in 11 games this season. Wheeler assisted on the tally, and his second helper of the contest increased his team-leading production to 58 points (15 goals, 44 assists) in 53 games. He is on track to beat his single-season record of 78 points set two seasons ago.
Ehlers finished the scoring with an empty-net goal with less than 18 seconds remaining.
Winnipeg improved to 19-3-2 at home. Colorado fell to 10-12-3 on the road.
--Field Level Media
