Hellebuyck, Jets continue mastery of Blackhawks

[December 28, 2016]  CHICAGO -- Connor Hellebuyck stopped 34 shots to defeat Chicago for the third time this season, and Blake Wheeler and Mark Scheifele scored first-period goals to lift the Winnipeg Jets to a 3-1 win over the Blackhawks on Tuesday night.

Drew Stafford scored early in the third period for Winnipeg (17-17-3), which has won four of its last five.

Artem Anisimov returned for Chicago (22-10-5) after missing three games with an upper-body injury to post his 15th goal, but the Blackhawks have lost three in a row for the first time this season.

Hellebuyck has denied 86 of 88 shots in the three victories over the Blackhawks. With his 13th win, Hellebuyck also matched his total from last season when he shared time in net with Michael Hutchinson and Ondrej Pavelec.

Chicago played without Marian Hossa, who was placed on injured reserve earlier on Tuesday with an upper-body injury. The 37-year-old Hossa leads the team with 16 goals.

Corey Crawford turned away 33 shots before being pulled for an extra attacker with about three minutes to play, but lost for the second time in as many games after missing 10 following an appendectomy. It was his first home loss in regulation since Oct. 12.

Each team fired 13 shots on goal in the opening period, but the Jets were the only team to make some of them count.

Wheeler opened the scoring for Winnipeg 8:27 into the game when he tucked in a rebound of a drive from Jacob Trouba for his third goal in four games and 11th of the season.

It marked the seventh time in nine games that Chicago has surrendered the first goal.

Scheifele scored less than seven minutes later when he tipped Trouba's blast from just inside the blue line past Crawford's left shoulder for his first goal in seven games and 15th on the season.

 The Jets nearly scored again with 30.7 seconds to play in the period, but Adam Lowry's shot rang off the crossbar.

 Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford (50) makes a save on Winnipeg Jets right wing Blake Wheeler (26) during the third period at the United Center. The Winnipeg Jets won 3-1. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Anisimov drew Chicago within a goal at 7:36 of the second. Patrick Kane took a long pass from Artemi Panarin and fed Anisimov, who backhanded the puck past an out-of-position Hellebuyck for his fourth goal in five games.

Crawford kept it a 2-1 game when he denied former Blackhawk Dustin Byfuglien on a breakaway with 4:38 remaining in the period.

NOTES: Chicago scratched D Michal Kempny, RW Jordin Tootoo and D Michal Rozsival. ... Scratched for Winnipeg were D Mark Stuart, C Andrew Copp, LW Brandon Tanev, RW Chris Thorburn and C Alexander Burmistrov. ... The Blackhawks resumed play after the NHL's Christmas break with the third-fewest penalty minutes (238). The Jets were eighth with 375. ... Chicago opens a three-game road trip Thursday against the Nashville Predators. ... Winnipeg starts a two-game home stretch Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

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