WINNIPEG 鈥� You could say that Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck is healthy.
Before the game, former Jets forward Patrik Laine joked that Hellebuyck must have had the 鈥淧atty Flu鈥� because he has never played against him.
Well, Hellebuyck made 26 saves as Winnipeg defeated Laine鈥檚 Montreal Canadiens 4-2 before a sellout crowd of 15,225 fans at Canada Life Centre on Saturday.
鈥淣o flu tonight,鈥� Hellebuyck said. 鈥淗e had a lot of shots tonight. He's a good shooter. But nothing for him.鈥�
Laine had seven of Montreal鈥檚 28 shots, but failed to score. So, was Hellebuyck motivated by his former teammate鈥檚 dig at him?
鈥淚 didn't hear the comments, to be honest,鈥� he said. 鈥淯ntil now.鈥�
Laine declined a request for an interview after the game.
Hellebuyck stopped several of Laine鈥檚 one-timers from the slot.
鈥淗e has a great shot, obviously,鈥� said Josh Morrissey, who assisted on two of the four Winnipeg goals. 鈥淧atty's scored a lot of goals from that area of the ice, like some of the other great shooters in the league, and we saw it here for a long time. So definitely, the pre-scout since his return, their power plays produced some goals from over there. And they've got all the right-handed players.
"So, we obviously tried to make it an emphasis of trying to not give them those one-timers. But, when he did, Bucky was there and made some big saves. He鈥檚 unbelievable, the best goalie in the league, in my view.
"I get to see it every night and probably take it for granted when you watch it over and over and over again. 鈥� He makes it look easy, but I guarantee it鈥檚 not. Just a special, special talent, and really a generational goalie in my view.鈥�
Both Kyle Connor and Gabriel Vilardi scored a power-play goal and added an assist. Adam Lowry and Vlad Namestnikov, into an empty net, scored the others.
Josh Anderson and Lane Hutson, with his first NHL goal, replied for the Canadiens, who were frustrated by Hellebuyck.
鈥淗e鈥檚 a great goalie,鈥� Hutson said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 so big, so smart and sees the ice very well. He鈥檚 a hard goalie to beat, not just for us, but for anyone.鈥�
It was Hellebuyck鈥檚 19th win of the season, which leads the NHL.
鈥淭here鈥檚 some exciting stuff happening out there with him,鈥� said Jets coach Scott Arniel. 鈥淗e鈥檚 always on pucks. He has the ability to recognize what鈥檚 coming with the next situation.
"He always seems to know where it is and I鈥檓 looking all over trying to find it half the time and he knows where it is 鈥� right in his glove.鈥�
Arniel also appreciated the way Hellebuyck shut down Laine.
鈥淚 think he knows the opponent pretty well,鈥� he said. 鈥淧robably saw him in practice. For us, no matter if it鈥檚 Laine, it鈥檚 Ovi (Alex Ovechkin) 鈥� there鈥檚 certain players that you know are going to get their looks. We鈥檙e kind of setting it up so (Hellebuyck) is waiting for it.
"We don鈥檛 want multiple options happening, whether it鈥檚 in the slot or maybe, it鈥檚 the other flanker getting the shot. If Helly knows where the shots are going to be, he鈥檚 set. He doesn鈥檛 have to come from the other side and slide across to make a save."
Winnipeg was two-for-six on the power play and killed off four penalties, including a 30-second two-man advantage.
NOTES
The Jets went into the game with 21 wins, the most in franchise history through the first 31 games. They also had a plus-34 goal differential, the most in franchise history through the first 31 games. That was also the second-most in the NHL heading into Saturday鈥檚 action.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 14, 2024.
Jim Bender, The Canadian Press
