Hellebuyck Makes 34 Saves To Lead Jets Past Capitals 3-0
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Connor Hellebuyck stopped 34 shots for his fifth shutout of the season, leading the Winnipeg Jets to a 3-0 victory over the Washington Capitals on Thursday night.
Dmitry Kulikov, Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele scored for Winnipeg, which killed off three penalties and is 16 of 16 on the penalty kill in its last 10 games.
A big reason has been Hellebuyck, who tied Columbus' Elvis Merzlikins and Vegas' Marc-Andre Fleury for the NHL lead in shutouts.
Hellebuyck robbed Alex Ovechkin at least twice and made a great glove grab off recently acquired Ilya Kovalchuk during a second-period power play. He also stopped forward Jakub Vrana on a breakaway early in the third perioc.
Ilya Samsonov made 30 saves for Washington two days after the Capitals won the first game of the home-and-home series 4-3 in a shootout.
Kulikov beat Samsonov with a screened shot from the blue line 6:33 into the game. Blake Wheeler and Neil Pionk assisted on the eventual winner.
After a scoreless second period, Connor gave the Jets a 2-0 lead 7:20 into the third. He converted a pass from behind the net from Scheifele, who extended his point streak to six games. It was Connor's 32nd goal of the season and 99th of his career.
Scheifele added an empty-net goal on an assist from Connor with 1:28 left to play.
Winnipeg lost forward Patrik Laine early in the first after he blocked Michal Kempny's shot, which hit his left foot. It was Laine's first shift of the game and lasted just 23 seconds.
NOTES: The Jets are 6-2-1 in their last nine home games. ... Jets D Josh Morrissey missed his third straight game with an upper-body injury.
UP NEXT
Capitals: at Minnesota on Sunday night.
Jets: at Edmonton on Saturday before returning home for a three-game homestand next week.
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