WINNIPEG, Manitoba — The Winnipeg Jets secured a 3-0 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday night, with goalie Connor Hellebuyck achieving his sixth shutout of the season by blocking 22 shots.
Nikolaj Ehlers led the charge with two goals, while Mark Scheifele added another for the Jets, who now hold a record of 2-1-2 during their current eight-game homestand.
Hellebuyck’s performance was stellar, as he made 10 saves in the first period, followed by five in the second and seven in the third. This win marked his 25th of the season and the 301st in his career, adding to his total of 43 shutouts throughout his time in the NHL.
On the other side, Colorado’s Mackenzie Blackwood recorded 26 saves, but the Avalanche concluded their three-game road trip with a disappointing 1-2-0 record.
Notably, Hellebuyck has managed to shut out the Avalanche in their last three regular-season encounters, including matches on April 13 of the previous year and November 7.
Winnipeg took an early lead when Ehlers found the back of the net with a shot that went over Blackwood’s glove at 1:08 of the first period, making it 1-0.
Scheifele then scored his team-leading 25th goal of the season with 4:07 remaining in the second, thanks to a distraction from Kyle Connor who set up the play with a short pass to the open side.
Ehlers later sealed the game with an empty-net goal at 57 seconds before the final buzzer.
In terms of lineup changes, the Jets had to adjust three of their four lines due to an injury sustained by second-line center Vladislav Namestnikov during Thursday’s overtime defeat against Los Angeles, prompting Adam Lowry to step up into a new role.
The Avalanche struggled not only with scoring opportunities but also in faceoff situations, winning a mere 39.1 percent of them.
A pivotal moment in the match came early in the third period when the Avalanche had their second power play opportunity, yet Hellebuyck was able to deny three shots taken from close range.
With this latest result, the Jets now boast an impressive record of 21-0-1 when leading after the second period, while the Avalanche find themselves at 4-17-0 when trailing after two periods.
Looking ahead, the Avalanche are set to host the New York Rangers on Tuesday, while the Jets will welcome the Vancouver Canucks.
