Jets goalie Hellebuyck expects to bounce back in Game 5: ‘I am going to be better’

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) makes a save on a St. Louis Blues shot during third period NHL playoff action in Winnipeg, Monday April 21, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Greenslade

WINNIPEG — Connor Hellebuyck says there is no crack in his confidence after the Winnipeg Jets goalie was pulled during his team’s last two playoff losses.

Hellebuyck, who was announced Monday as a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, told reporters his mindset is good heading into Wednesday’s Game 5 at home against St. Louis.

The Blues tied the Western Conference best-of-seven opening-round series 2-2 after thumping the Jets 5-1 on Sunday and 7-2 last Thursday in St. Louis.

“You don’t love giving up that many goals, but we’re 2-2 in the series. That’s all that matters. Win the next one,” Hellebuyck said after he and most of his teammates didn’t take part in Monday’s optional skate.

“Am I going to be better? I am going to be better. I’ve studied goaltending extremely hard. I’ve probably studied the most out of anyone in this world, so I know what to do and how to get my best game. So that’s what I’m looking forward to do.”

Backup Eric Comrie replaced Hellebuyck in the third period of the past two losses and gave up one goal in last Thursday’s match.

Hellebuyck is up for the NHL’s top goalie award with Darcy Kuemper of the Los Angeles Kings and Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Commerce, Mich., product is the reigning Vezina Trophy winner and also claimed the honour in 2020. He was a finalist in 2018 and 2023.

Hellebuyck posted career bests in wins (47), shutouts (eight), goals-against average (2.00) and save percentage (.925) to help Winnipeg finish the regular season with the league’s best record and gain home-ice advantage by capturing the Presidents’ Trophy.

“It would be crazy to go that many regular-season games and then all of a sudden switch something up in the playoffs,” Hellebuyck said.

“You don’t win 47 games and then come the playoffs switch everything up. I know how it needs to look. I like a lot of things. I’m not going to go and make huge changes.”

Hellebuyck has a .817 save percentage and 4.24 goals-against average in the series.

Winnipeg won the opening two games at home by scores of 5-3 and 2-1.

“I thought the first two games, our goaltending was better than theirs. Second two games, their goaltending was better than ours. It’s plain and simple,” Jets head coach Scott Arniel said.

“I think that’s part of what a playoff series is all about. It’s like our top players. Our top offensive players, they need to be better than the opposition’s top offensive players. Our grinders, our meat-and-potato guys, they need to be better than their meat-and-potato guys.

“So this is a tale of two tapes. Game 1 and 2, I thought we owned those categories. But Games 3 and 4, they owned those categories.”

Jets veteran defenceman Neal Pionk said the players have to give Hellebuyck more help, including blocking more shots.

“Go back to basics,” Pionk said. “Get the stick, first. Try to push them out of the way, second. Let Helly see the puck. Couple bad bounces, but it is what it is, that’s playoff hockey.”

Hellebuyck won a second consecutive William M. Jennings Trophy as the goaltender (minimum of 25 games played) on the team allowing the fewest regular-season goals.

He said he’s mentally prepared for what’s ahead.

“I think playoff time, that’s one of the most important attributes you can have, is being strong between the ears,” Hellebuyck said. “You don’t want to go into a game playing with fear. If you play with fear, that’s when you start to actually make mistakes and want things back.

“We go out, we play our game and you continue to be better every single shift, every single game and every single day. That’s my mindset moving forward, and I’m looking forward to that.”

VILARDI SET TO GO

It looks like top-line winger Gabriel Vilardi could play Wednesday after missing Winnipeg’s past 15 games with an undisclosed upper-body injury he suffered March 23.

Arniel said Vilardi was cleared to play Sunday. He skated in warm-up, but was given a bit more time.

“If he’s prepared and cleared to go, then it’s all-in,” Arniel said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 28, 2025.

Judy Owen, The Canadian Press