Hellebuyck, Jets firing on all cylinders in series-tying Game 2 win vs. Stars
That was a textbook win — Friday’s 4-0 win against the Stars saw the Jets check off virtually every single box. When this team’s on their game, they’re a pain in the butt to play against.
WINNIPEG — That was a textbook win.
Friday’s 4-0 win over the Dallas Stars — tying the second-round series at 1-1 — saw the Winnipeg Jets check off virtually every single box.
Both special teams units delivered, starting with a power-play goal from Gabriel Vilardi at the 16:25 mark of the first period. The penalty kill went three-for-three, limiting Dallas’ man-advantage to just one high-danger shot.
Connor Hellebuyck was brilliant, stopping all 21 shots faced.
Winnipeg’s checking lines provided offence in the way they do best, with Adam Lowry scoring the third goal of the game on the heels of an excellent fourth line shift that hemmed the Stars in their own zone.
And the Stars’ top line — Roope Hintz, Mikko Rantanen and Mikael Granlund — was completely nullified, generating just two shot attempts during five-on-five play.
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It’s no coincidence that a performance like that came in a game where the Jets had a fully healthy roster for the first time since March 23.
“When you have your roster like that, everybody gets kind of aligned in their spots,” Jets coach Scott Arniel said post-game. “Having your top-four defenceman. Having your top-six offensive guys. Then two checking lines, two heavy lines. We’re back to looking, finally, like we’ve looked for most of the season.”
For all the talk about Dallas’ depth, tonight was a reminder that the Jets are indeed as deep as they advertised themselves during the regular season.
And when this team’s on their game, they’re a pain in the butt to play against.
“When we get in the forecheck, we get the pucks below the tops of the circles and get into our cycle game, it’s to our advantage,” Arniel said. “I thought we played way faster. I thought we got out of our end quick and it allowed us to get down there and when we pressure, whether that’s in the O-zone or that’s in the D-zone, that’s the idea to help work to get the puck back.”
Helly’s Back
Hellebuyck didn’t face a lot of rubber but man, he was magnificent.
“He makes very difficult saves look very easy, routinely and often,” Josh Morrissey said. “You could tell he was feeling it tonight. When he’s feeling it like that, it gives the players in front of him, defencemen, forwards a lot of confidence.”
The biggest takeaway from Hellebuyck’s game? He’s found his mojo again. He’s calm, composed and seeing pucks through chaos. Dating back to the second intermission of Game 7 last round, Hellebuyck has saved 55 of his last 58 shots faced.
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“There were stretches in the first round where I really liked my game, just wasn’t (shown) in the results,” Hellebuyck said. “But, built it back better. I like where we’re at.”
What we’ve seen from Hellebuyck over this last little bit is what the Jets have needed. Peak Hellebuyck, capable of stealing games and shining when the pressure is at its highest.
Don’t overlook the Jets’ Cup odds if he keeps playing at this level.
Stoller Says
• Well, Nikolaj Ehlers finally delivered in the playoffs. His two goals may have not been highlight worthy — the first banked off Esa Lindell’s skate, the second was a clear-out from the Jets’ zone that went into the empty net — but he was engaged all night. He also added an assist on Vilardi’s goal.
“He was dominant. He had the puck a lot,” Arniel said of Ehlers, who finished the night with a team-high six shot attempts during five-on-five play. “I liked the fact that he attacked the net a bunch of times with the puck. We need his line and we need him doing what he did tonight. We’re a tougher threat when we have all of our pieces going like that.”
• That was, bar none, the best game we’ve seen from Morrissey in these playoffs. Even before his latest injury, he hardly looked 100 per cent. He wasn’t weaponizing his edges as much as he usually does, nor was he joining the rush as often. But on Friday? That was a ‘Norrissey’ performance.
“He’s a big minute man for us,” Arniel said of Morrissey, who logged a team-high 22:39 minutes. “He plays against the other teams’ top lines. Then you saw what he can do, both quarterbacking that power play and also the offensive side, him jumping, him in the offensive zone. He’s a tough guy to target. He’s a tough guy to kind of shut down when he has the puck up there. Liked a lot of what he did. And certainly having him back is a real good feeling for our group.”
