By Canadian Press

Hellebuyck nets shutout as Jets whip Wild 5-0

Dec 21, 2024 | 7:00 PM

WINNIPEG — Connor Hellebuyck made 19 saves for his NHL-leading fourth shutout of the season and 41st of his career to lead the Winnipeg Jets to a 5-0 victory Saturday over the Minnesota Wild, who have lost four in a row.

Cole Perfetti had a goal and two assists and Nikolaj Ehlers and Neal Pionk each scored power-play goals in front of a capacity crowd at Canada Life Centre.

Morgan Barron and Vladislav Namestnikov also scored for the Jets (24-10-1), who are 4-1-1 in their last six games.

The Jets, who swept the clubs’ three-game season series, sit in first place in the NHL Central Division, five points up on the Wild (20-10-4).

Jesper Wallstedt stopped 19 shots for Minnesota, which is 1-5-0 in its last six games.

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Ehlers scored his 10th goal of the season six seconds after Minnesota took its first penalty at 6:45 of the first period.

Barron made it 2-0 with 2:06 left in the period when he banged in a puck that had went behind Wallstedt after an Alex Iafallo shot.

Pionk scored on Winnipeg’s third power play of the game when his one-timer from the point beat Wallstedt 14 seconds into the man advantage to make it 3-0 at 5:19.

A Minnesota turnover gave Perfetti the puck in the slot and he fired it by Wallstedt at 2:07 of the third.

The Wild then took back-to-back tripping penalties, giving the Jets 21 seconds with a two-man advantage.

Wallstedt stood tall throughout the power plays, but seven seconds after it ended, Namestnikov tipped in a Pionk shot to go up 5-0 at 7:36.

TAKEAWAYS

Jets: Winnipeg’s league-best power play struck for a fourth consecutive game with Ehler’s first-period goal. Pionk’s marker with the man advantage came in the second. The Jets power play has gone 11-for-28 in the past seven games.

Wild: Leading-scorer Kirill Kaprizov was in a feisty mood, but it didn’t translate into any goals. He took two penalties and had three shots on goal, but his four-game point streak (four goals, two assists) was halted.

KEY MOMENT

Wallstedt put Minnesota on the penalty kill when he batted the puck in the air and it went over the glass for a delay-of-game call. Winnipeg needed 14 seconds for Pionk’s one-timer to blast by the goalie for a 3-0 lead at 5:19 of the second period.

KEY STAT

Winnipeg was 2-for-5 on the power play. Minnesota was 0-for-4 and only had a total of five shots during the man advantage.

UP NEXT

Wild: Host the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday.

Jets: Visit the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 21, 2024.

Judy Owen, The Canadian Press