Winnipeg Free Press https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/hot-hellebuyck-in-net-for-blackhawks- game-468902243.html?k=oMIg0b Hot Hellebuyck in net for Blackhawks game By: Jason Bell CHICAGO — The Winnipeg Jets will go with their newly minted all-star goaltender tonight when they take on the Chicago Blackhawks in a key Central Division matchup. Connor Hellebuyck returns to the crease at United Center. Game time is 7:30 p.m. He’s 4-3-0 with a shutout in seven starts against the Blackhawks, although he was between the pipes in a 5-1 loss to Chicago in mid-December. The 24-year-old netminder, selected Wednesday to participate in the NHL All-Star Game weekend Jan. 27-28 in Tampa Bay, Fla., has gone nine games without a defeat in regulation (7- 0-2), boasting a 1.86 goals-against average and .940 save percentage during that stretch. Overall, Hellebuyck’s 23 victories rank him behind only Andrei Vasilevskiy (27) of the Lightning and Braden Holtby (24) of the Washington Capitals, and he has three shutouts to go with a solid 2.36 GAA and .923 SV%. Backup goalie Steve Mason earned his fourth victory of the season Tuesday in Buffalo — stopping 30 shots in a 7-4 win — and could get the call from head coach Paul Maurice to start Saturday night in St. Paul, Minn., against the Wild, the second half of back-to-back contests. But Maurice said he wouldn’t be adverse to running Hellebuyck on consecutive nights, particularly with Winnipeg’s league-mandated five-day break set to begin Sunday. Jets captain Blake Wheeler (14G, 38A) also received the nod to take part in the all-star weekend. He’s tied for second in the league in points (52), with Steve Stamkos of the Lightning, the Colorado Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon and the Philadelphia Flyers’ Claude Giroux. Tampa Bay right-winger Nikita Kucherov has an eight-point cushion on the group. Speaking after practice Thursday morning at Johnny’s IceHouse on the west side of Chicago, Maurice called the news on Hellebuyck and Wheeler a "nice salute" to the work both players have done this season. "Over the last few years, sometimes it’s been positional about a guy who went. But those two fellows here deserve to go and deserve to represent our team by some really fine and very consistent play," he said. "Right from the get go, they both have driven our team, Blake up front as our captain and filling in at centre and Connor just a great body of work at this time of year." ● ● ● The Jets manhandled the Sabres for much of the first 45 minutes Tuesday at KeyBank Center before coming unravelled and allowing even-strength tallies to Jason Pominville and Jack Eichel, with his second of the game. Watching a 6-2 lead deteriorate to just a two-goal bulge with more than five minutes left on the clock was disconcerting, blue-liner Josh Morrissey said. "We let our foot off the gas in the third and they’re the kind of team — maybe their record doesn’t show — but with some of the talented players on their roster, they can burn you. There is no quit on that team," he said. "For us, we definitely need to clean up some things, and it’s been nice with a couple of days between games to think about that." Maurice said he didn’t notice a complacency setting in, but some key assignments were definitely missed, particularly when Eichel was left unattended for an easy tap-in goal. "The technical part of it, the positioning that we could be a little bit better. On two of the goals, there were things that we could do better," he said. Maurice was in the building for the ’Hawks-Minnesota Wild game on Wednesday. A rarity, he noted. "I would say the number of NHL games, regular season, that I’ve seen live would be about 10. And it is a completely different vantage point from where we were sitting way up top. Good that we got to watch them," he said of Winnipeg’s next two opponents. "Chicago’s a real interesting team. They had over six minutes of offensive-zone time in the first period... They really have a dynamic group. They’ve lost some guys, but they haven’t lost their speed. I think they’re faster now, they’re making even more plays, if that’s possible. "So, that speed part, for today’s practice and based on our game at home against them, that’s the No. 1 thing for us (tonight)." ● ● ● Injured forwards Adam Lowry and Brandon Tanev wore yellow jerseys and took some drills with extra forward Brendan Lemieux, however, neither will accompany the team into battle against Chicago. "I don’t have them going," Maurice said. "It was more for their legs, but they weren’t shooting or passing the way they normally would at 100 per cent. So, we’ll say no for sure (for tonight) and then we’ll revisit it for (Saturday). But, again, unless they feel they’re at 95 (per cent to face the Wild), we’ll hold them out." Tanev (lower body), will miss his sixth straight contest. He’s been out since being injured Dec. 29 at home against the New York Islanders. Lowry (upper body) will miss his third game after getting banged up at home against Buffalo on Jan. 5. Jets centre Mark Scheifele (upper body) is still weeks from returning to the lineup. Defenceman Ben Chiarot will join Lemieux in the press box as the team’s healthy scratches. ● ● ● Maurice forgot one crucial element to running an NHL practice Thursday: slip off the skate guards before stepping onto the ice. "I went out there and down I went. Players were good, they smiled about it," Maurice said. "I looked up at all the media guys and saw tears rolling down their faces. All I saw was teeth and tears up there. I’m glad I amused you. "I’m fine, thanks. Thanks for asking." The last time, if ever, he let his guard down, as it were? "It was in Carolina," he said. "These guys were way more respectful of it, they pretended like they didn’t see it." https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/pesky-perreault-a-coachs-dream-468903013.html Pesky Perreault a coach's dream Versatile veteran provides great example for younger Jets By: Jason Bell CHICAGO — Mathieu Perreault prides himself on being a plug-and-play NHLer. When he’s at his healthiest, that is. Fortunately for the Winnipeg Jets, the hard-working winger has been able-bodied for the better part of two months now and he’s been a major contributor as the team enjoys a lofty perch not just in the Central Division (first with a 26-11-7 record) but league wide (third overall). The 30-year-old from Drummondville, Que., has played in 27 consecutive games since returning from a lower-body injury sustained at home Oct. 14 against the Carolina Hurricanes. During that stretch, he’s scored 11 goals and added 11 assists, initially playing on the club’s fourth line but currently on the second forward unit with centre Bryan Little and winger Nikolaj Ehlers. It’s hard to blame the 5-10, 188-pound nine-year veteran for reaching down to rap his knuckles against the hard wooden bench inside the dressing room following Thursday’s practice — anything to keep the streak of health and well-being going for a guy who’s been sidelined for 60 games over the past four seasons in Winnipeg. "That’s a big key, staying healthy. The way I play, injuries are going to happen because I try to play such a hard game. Knock on wood, when I’m healthy I can produce and help the team win," said Perreault. "When I’m feeling good my game doesn’t change, no matter who I’m playing with. I work hard, I try to be physical, I try to make plays when they’re there. Right now, our line is clicking. Just winning is a big key, it’s been fun. Whether it’s top-six and we’re winning or fourth line and we’re winning, I’m happy." Returning from injury Nov. 16, Perreault — who signed a four-year, US$16.5-million contract extension in the summer of 2016 — had an immediate impact in a fourth-line role with centre Matt Hendricks and winger Joel Armia, scoring in three straight games and picking up six points in four games. He spotted in on the top-six and received power-play time, but the injury to No. 1 centre Mark Scheifele just after Christmas forced a more permanent promotion. "That’s what makes a great team, guys moving around and doing well," he said. "In Anaheim and Washington, I had the same kind of role where if someone got hurt or wasn’t going good, I would move up. It’s a role I’m very comfortable with." In 458 NHL games, Perreault has 103 goals and 162 assists split between the Capitals, Ducks and Jets. Before coming to Winnipeg, Perreault had a number of winning campaigns with those squads, and he’s enjoying the feeling of contributing to a dominant club once again. "It honestly kind of reminds me of the years in Washington where every time we stepped on the ice, we kind of had that feeling, that confidence, that we were just better than the other team," said Perreault.