Gabe Vilardi scored the game-winner just a minute into the contest, while Connor Hellebuyck earned his second-straight shutout, as the Winnipeg Jets held off the visiting Colorado Avalanche 1-0 from Canada life Centre on Thursday.
After seeing a goaltending battle between Hellebuyck – the league’s win leader – and Utah’s Karel Vejmelka on Tuesday, fans gathered in downtown Winnipeg were treated to yet another display of sensational netminding on Thursday.
View the original article to see embedded media.
This time it was rematch from last year’s opening round of the playoffs, as Hellebuyck was looking for some retribution following his performance against Alexander Georgiev and the Colorado Avalanche.
Despite the Jets and Avalanche having some of the league’s top offensive stars, it was another low-scoring affair, as the two backstops shared the spotlight.
However, the lone goal for the majority of the game came very early on, and it got the fans dancing early.
It was Vilardi and Mark Scheifele who combined for a pretty marker off the rush just 1:06 into the game. Vilardi put the finishing touches on the two-on-one strike as his goal song, ‘Macarena,’ blasted loudly from the public address speakers.
Winnipeg had another chance at a goal late in the frame on an Artturi Lehkonen slashing minor, but Georgiev stood tall in goal after giving up the early goal.
Hellebuyck had some help from Neal Pionk on a desperation save by the defenceman-turned-goaltender on the spot, keeping it a one-goal game off a great Colorado chance.
The Jets outshot the Avalanche 15-9 through 20 minutes.
Colorado poured it on in the second period to the tune of 18 shots, but it was Hellebuyck who maintained his clean sheet heading into the final stanza.
The Avalanche turned on their jets in the third, heavily outshooting Winnipeg again, but Hellebuyck maintained his strong play in the crease, going his mates a fighting chance.
Nikolaj Ehlers had the best opportunity to double Winnipeg’s lead with just over five minutes remaining. After Mason Appleton deked his way through two Avalanche defenders, he slid the disc to Ehlers, who was absolutely robbed by Georgiev on the goal line with a sensational glove stop.
The play was reviewed to see where Georgiev’s glove was actually positioned when he caught the puck, but the ruling stood, keeping it at 1-0 for the hosts as time slowly drained off the clock.
Colorado opted for the lengthy goaltender pull, and removed Goergiev for the extra attacker with just under three minutes to play.
Then, with 1:10 to go, Josh Morrissey was given a hooking minor, setting up the Avalanche for over a minute of six-on-four action.
But it was Hellebuyck and the Jets’ penalty kill that prevailed, as the reigning Vezina Trophy winner picked up his second-straight shutout, this time with only one goal of support.
Next up for Winnipeg the final test of the four-game homestand, as the last of three-straight Central Division opponents show up to Canada Life Centre on Saturday. It will be the Jets and Dallas Stars at 2:00 PM central, before fans can make their way down to IG Field for the West Final between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders at 5:30.
Read the full article here
