Hellebuyck gets the shutout, Iafallo scores twice as Winnipeg Jets dump Devils 4-0 – Winnipeg
Coming off an impressive overtime win over the Washington Capitals, there would be no letdown for the Winnipeg Jets on Friday against New Jersey.
The Jets wasted no time putting to bed any worry of a letdown, scoring twice in the opening two minutes en route to a 4-0 win that moved them in front of the Washington Capitals for first place in the NHL ‘s overall standings with 104 points.
The Jets scored twice in the first, added two more in the second and cruised the rest of the way as they became the first team in the NHL to 50 wins.
“I think we’re realizing we’re really close to playoffs and we want to bring our playoff game every single night,” said Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck. “I think that was a continuation of it and this time of year is when you want to be playing your best hockey, and you feel your best when you’re playing your best.”
Hellebuyck made 24 saves for his career-best seventh shutout of the season in front of a sellout crowd.
Alex Iafallo notched a pair of goals for Winnipeg in the win. Mark Scheifele had his first goal in his last 10 games, and David Gustafsson scored less than two minutes into his first game in more than three weeks after he replaced Rasmus Kupari in the lineup.
“That felt good,” said Gustafsson. “To get an early one the first shift there after being out for awhile – it definitely felt good.”
Scheifele also had an assist for his 201st career multi-point game to pass Blake Wheeler for the most in franchise history.
Kyle Connor also hit a milestone with two helpers as he went over the 50-assist mark for the first time of his career.
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The Jets swept the season series against the Devils for the fifth time in the last 10 seasons. The win gives the Jets a six point lead on the Dallas Stars for first place in the Central Division.
“Couple weeks ago after the Dallas game, we went into Seattle and weren’t very good for the first period and a half,” said Jets head coach Scott Arniel. “I really liked the way we came out tonight, obviously it was a fantastic start to get up two quick.”
The first goal came from Iafallo just 58 seconds into the contest. Scheifele started the play by skating the puck from the Winnipeg end all the way down to the New Jersey zone before sending a cross-ice pass to Connor. He then sent it to Iafallo in the slot who backhanded the puck into an open net as Jake Allen overcommitted to Connor.
The assist for Connor, who was playing in his first game after his wife gave birth to their daughter, gave him 50 for the first time in his career.
Just 54 seconds later, it was 2-0 thanks to Gustafsson, playing in his first game since March 6.
New Jersey had the puck safely in their own end as players from both teams changed but Simon Nemec couldn’t handle a simple pass, coughing it up to Brandon Tanev. Tanev then drove to the net and was denied by Allen, but Gustafsson knocked home the rebound for his second of the season and just his sixth goal in 143 NHL games.
The Devils got the game’s first power play later in the period but failed as they controlled possession for the bulk of the first, holding the Jets to just one shot in the 13 minutes that followed the Gustafsson goal.
For a very brief moment, the Devils thought they had cut the lead in half when Erik Haula banged home a rebound with 5:34 left in the first, but it was immediately waved off. Haula had bumped Hellebuyck before jamming home the rebound and New Jersey did not challenge the call on the ice.
Thanks to a late flurry of shots, Winnipeg wound up with a 9-8 advantage in shots in the first but for most of the second, the shot counter barely moved.
Over the first 11:40 of the middle frame, there was only one shot on goal. New Jersey registered their first with 8:20 to go and Winnipeg didn’t get their second of the frame until there was 7:31 remaining.
New Jersey got some decent looks on their second power play of the night, but Winnipeg killed it, and just after he stepped out of the box, Colin Miller drew a penalty to give the Jets their first PP look of the evening.
Winnipeg’s man advantage has been struggling, but they took advantage on this one. Allen stopped a one-timer from the point off the stick of Josh Morrissey, but Nikolaj Ehlers chipped the rebound to the right of Allen where Iafallo was standing. He gloved the puck down and whacked it into the net to make it 3-0 with 4:15 to go in the second.
With less than a minute to go in the period, the Jets made it 4-0. Scheifele made a slick play at the Jets blueline to take the puck away from Brian Dumoulin and skated up the ice with it. After taking it into the Devils’ end, he dropped it off to Connor whose shot went wide but after the puck bounced hard off the end boards, Scheifele chipped it into the net from the side of the crease.
Winnipeg carried a 15-13 edge in shots on goal into the third where Hellebuyck turned aside all 11 shots he faced to clinch the 4-0 win.
Allen made 15 saves in defeat for New Jersey.
Winnipeg will wrap up their homestand Sunday afternoon against Vancouver.
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