LDN - Sports

Hellebuyck gets shutout as Jets blank Blackhawks

[November 16, 2016] WINNIPEG -- Nobody beats the Winnipeg Jets five times in a row.

Or seven times out of eight, for that matter, either.

Connor Hellebuyck kicked out 27 shots and the Jets had three players notch their first goals of the season as the home side defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 4-0 in front of a sold-out crowd at MTS Centre on Tuesday.

It was Hellebuyck's first shutout in 11 starts this season -- and the third of his career.

Winnipeg improved to 9-7-2 and solidified its hold on second place in the Central Division but still sits four points behind the first-place Blackhawks (11-4-2), who have one game in hand. The Blackhawks outshot the Jets 27-24.

Prior to Tuesday, the Blackhawks had practically owned the Jets over the past two seasons, winning four consecutive games and six of the last seven.

Rookie defenseman Josh Morrissey scored the first goal of his young NHL career -- and ultimately the game-winner -- when his slap shot from the high slot squeaked through Corey Crawford's pads at 6:26 of the first period.

"You dream of that one in the driveway, basement and the outdoor rink," he said. "To finally be able to get that and see it go in was something special. It's starting to sink in a little bit now that the game's over. During the game, it's an exciting moment, but you're back to playing right away."

Morrissey was quick to give credit to his partner on the Jets' first pairing, Dustin Byfuglien, for his stabilizing influence not to mention his inspiration for a bone-shaking hit on Vinnie Hinostroza late in the first period. (Morrissey was sent off for charging while the Blackhawks left winger had to leave the game with an undisclosed injury.)

"That's always been a part of my game since I was a kid, back in junior," Morrissey said. "Buff's a physical player and he was giving me the gears on that one. He said that's his job."

Jets coach Paul Maurice said it's important for Morrissey, a first-round draft pick in 2013, not to lose touch with his offensive game as he adapts to life as a pro.

"Those guys that came into the NHL with a real solid offensive background, you want to make sure you can still feel it once in a while," Maurice said. "We'll take his growth and development exactly the way it is right now. If he hadn't scored tonight, we'd (still) be very, very pleased with his game."

It was a one-goal game until the Jets opened the floodgates early in the third period, scoring a trio of goals in four minutes and two seconds.

Right winger Chris Thorburn got things going when he beat Crawford with a spin-around snapshot from the hash marks at 4:41 of the third period.

Rookie Finnish phenom Patrik Laine snapped home a rebound after a Byfuglien wrap-around at 8:32, giving him his league-leading 12th goal of the season. Left winger Nic Petan salted things away 11 seconds later with his first of the season, on a wrist shot from the slot.

Despite the onslaught, Crawford said he wasn't too disappointed in the outcome. He was pulled in favor of Scott Darling after the fourth goal.

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at MTS Centre. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Fedyck-USA TODAY Sports

"I thought we played a good game," he said. "It was a tough few minutes, just (the puck) kind of going in off everything, finding its way through. That happens in games. We've put together a good string of games, solid hockey. We played good tonight. They didn't really have much. It was a tough few minutes, but we can forget about that one, for sure."

His coach, Joel Quenneville, felt the same way even though his team had a wide territorial advantage in the second period but was unable to beat Hellebuyck.

"We got a one-goal game in the third period and we're right in it so that's where we're at, Quenneville said. "And (Crawford) gives us a chance every single night so there's no blame. That was a team loss."

The Blackhawks continue a seven-game trip, their longest of the season, in Calgary on Friday. It's their annual "circus" trip as the circus takes over United Center for the next couple of weeks.

Laine, who earned the nickname "Hat Trick Laine" after posting a pair of three-goal games earlier this season, scored for the first time in three games. It's fair to say he's not too worried about any short-term slumps.

"I'm 18 and a rookie in the world's best league," he said. "If I don't score in three games, it's not the end of the world. If I don't score in 25 games, then I would be mad. You just have to play well all the time. If I don't score, someone else will and it doesn't matter."

NOTES: The Jets scratched D Mark Stuart, D Tyler Myers and F Chase De Leo. ... The Blackhawks scratched D Michael Rozsival, RW Ryan Hartman and LW Tyler Motte. ... The Blackhawks had their 11-game point streak snapped. ... Jets C Mark Scheifele, who entered Tuesday's game tied for the NHL scoring lead, was named the league's second star of the week with three goals and three assists in four games. ... F Jordin Tootoo, who played his junior hockey for the Brandon Wheat Kings two hours down the Trans-Canada Highway, is wearing No. 22 (two-two) during his first season in Chicago. ... There are a couple major connections between the two franchises. Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff is the former assistant GM for Chicago, winning a Stanley Cup in 2010. Also, Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews grew up in south Winnipeg.

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