Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck back to Vezina Trophy form

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) saves the shot from Colorado Avalanche's Calvin de Haan (44) as Adam Lowry (17) defends during third period NHL action in Winnipeg on Thursday, November 7, 2024. (John Woods/The Canadian Press)

WINNIPEG — They call him `Vezina-Buyck' in Winnipeg.

Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, who won his second Vezina Trophy last season, made 35 saves in his third shutout this NHL season as the Jets blanked the visiting Colorado Avalanche 1-0 on Thursday.

Hellebuyck produced the 40th shutout of his career in front of 12,918 fans at Canada Life Centre.

"Number 40 feels really good," the goalie said. "That's one of those milestones. One more (milestone) is just the 300 wins. I'm really looking forward to that this season.

"Hopefully I can achieve it, but this one feels really good."

It was also the first time that Hellebuyck recorded back-to-back shutouts in the NHL after a 21-save performance in Tuesday's 3-0 win over Utah.

The 31-year-old believes he might have had two in a row in college when he played for the University of Massachusetts.

"I had a good amount of shutouts in college," said Hellebuyck, who picked up his 10th win in 11 starts this season.

"I've been waiting for an opportunity like this. Just a perfect storm."

Hellebuyck's work Thursday including outstanding saves in the third period when Colorado outshot Winnipeg 17-4.

"Once you are in a rhythm, it just kind of clicks and you see the game, and you kind of get ahead of the game," Hellebuyck said. "The more and more shots you get, the better you get of getting ahead of that game.

"That's why I like to play a lot. Once you get your rhythm, you can just kind of maintain it. But then all you've got to look for is the maintenance, and making sure you are not overdoing it in-between games."

It was the first meeting of the two NHL clubs since Colorado eliminated Winnipeg in the first round of last season's playoffs four games to one.

"It's always good to beat a divisional opponent, especially with them beating us last year," said Gabe Vilardi, who scored the game's only goal."

He credited Hellebuyck for the victory, especially when Colorado had momentum.

"There's no sugar coating, it wasn't our best game," Vilardi said. "(Hellebuyck) won that game for us. It's that simple. Think we had a good first period, and then after that, it just kind of, we kind of lost it somewhere in the middle of the second.

"We've got the best goalie in the world, but we can't play like that and expect to win very many games."

Jets coach Scott Arniel downplayed the revenge factor of last season's playoff loss, but felt Hellebuyck made a statement.

"For him to come out and to play like he played, really frustrating them, he made some great stops and some fantastic stops," he said. "But, we weren't going into this game thinking of retribution from last year. It wasn't that. It was another opponent here in November, in a very busy schedule."

But Avalanche coach Jared Bednar believes the Jets were motivated by revenge.

"There is a little history," he said. "I'm sure those guys were frustrated at last year's exit, and it was a big game for them, a big game for us. It definitely felt like (a playoff game)."

Both Vilardi and Mark Scheifele, who assisted on the goal, extended their point streaks to six games.

Hellebuyck admired Vilardi's goal just 66 seconds into the contest.

"I believe it started in our end on a turnover," the goalie said. "Mark's got just unbelievable vision and Gabe has got unbelievable hands, so it was just a beautiful pass and a beautiful finish."

NOTES -- The Jets saluted massage therapist Al Pritchard, a cancer survivor, who celebrated his 1,000th game with the team. Both Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar had 13-game point streaks halted.

   This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Nov. 7, 2024