Winnipeg Free Press https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/injury-depleted-jets-edge-devils-3-2-in-record- setting-night-for-hellebuyck-476329693.html?k=PMqwKj

Injury-depleted Jets edge Devils Laine continues scoring streak, Hellebuyck sets franchise win record

By: Mike McIntyre

NEWARK, N.J. — Two of the biggest stories going in the NHL these days came together under one roof Thursday night.

But while ’s incredible streak came to an end, Patrik Laine’s -scoring heroics continued. The Finnish teen sniped for the 39th time this season — and sixth in three games on this current road trip — as the edged the 3-2 at .

"I don’t even know what to say. It’s pretty funny, and pretty awesome of course. He’s a pretty good friend, and seeing him scoring the way he does right now, you kind of wish you could do that as well," linemate Nikolaj Ehlers said following Winnipeg’s fourth consecutive win. Ehlers was no slouch himself, scoring the game-winning goal in the third period and adding an assist.

Winnipeg improves to 41-17-9 with 15 games left in the regular season. They remain six points back of the for first place in the Central Division, but are now eight points up on the third-place . The Predators won their 10th straight game Thursday, while the Wild were idle.

Both Hall and Laine have been the talk of the league lately. Hall entered the game having put up points in 26 consecutive games. He’s only the eighth player in history to accomplish such a feat. But the Jets were able to keep him off the scoreboard, checking him closely all night long. There was no further proof of that then when defenceman Dustin Byfuglien rocked the Devils winger with a huge hit late in the second period.

"He’s a good, talented player. It had to happen sooner or later. I’m glad I was the one," said Jets Connor Hellebuyck, who stopped 41 shots for his 35th victory to set a franchise- record for Atlanta/Winnipeg, moving him past Kari Lehtonen for most wins in a season.

"I haven’t really let it soak in. It’s a good feeling. Having my name up there is going to be pretty cool. It’s a big milestone in my career. I’m going to enjoy it and continue on and keep pushing the pace," said Hellebuyck.

Laine, meanwhile, picked up right where he left off Tuesday. He scored two goals in Sunday night’s 3-2 win in Carolina, and accounted for all three goals in Tuesday’s 3-0 victory over the . He needed just over four minutes to open the scoring Thursday, as Ehlers found him alone in front of the New Jersey net. Laine fired a low, hard on the ice through goalie Cory Schneider’s five-hole. He didn’t immediately celebrate, leading to a post-game question about whether he knew the puck went in.

"Yeah, I saw it went under his pads, but I didn’t want to celly too hard. It wasn’t a pretty goal," said Laine, who is now apparently bored by seeing the red light go on.

Laine is now up to 75 goals in his young career, which ties him with superstar on the list of all-time goals scored by a teenager. Only Jimmy Carson (92), Dale Hawerchuk (85), Wayne Gretzky (76) and Brian Bellows (76) are ahead of him on that list.

"It’s just a . But it’s pretty awesome to be on that list, behind those guys and tied now," said Laine.

Perhaps some of Laine’s exploits are rubbing off on fellow Finn Joel Armia, who gave the Jets a 2-0 lead in the second period and set a career-high with his 11th of the season.

Meanwhile, Hellebuyck was sharp all night and even chipped in with an assist on Armia’s goal.

Winnipeg’s killing also played a major role in the win, killing off all four minors including a four-minute high sticking penalty taken by Josh Morrissey late in the first period. The Jets have now killed off 20 straight penalties on the road dating back to mid-January. Not surprisingly, they are 7-0-1 in their last eight road games.

New Jersey cut the Jets lead in half in the second period. The Devils had been trying the stretch pass all game, and it finally paid off. Defenceman Dmitry Kulikov gave Kyle Palmieri too much space, and teammate Nico Hischier was able to give him a tape-to-tape pass to spring him on a breakaway. He beat Hellebuyck high to the glove side.

The Devils came out flying to start the third period, firing nine shots at Hellebuyck in just over two minutes. They also got a power play after the Jets got caught with too many men on the ice, but Hellebuyck shut the door. New Jersey outshot the Jets 43-24, including 18-5 in the final period.

Ehlers made it 3-1 midway through the final frame, banging home a rebound after Byfuglien rang one off the post. He made an acrobatic play to keep the puck in the zone seconds earlier, sticking out his skate and using his foot.

"That’s why we play soccer before the game," Ehlers said of the play.

That proved to be the game-winner, as Hischier banked a shot in off Hellebuyck just over a minute later to make it a one-goal game.

The Jets got a late injury scare when defenceman Josh Morrissey was drilled from behind into the boards by Patrick Maroon. He was slow to leave the ice but remained in the game. Winnipeg got their only power play of the game as a result but couldn’t add to their lead.

Winnipeg was already without blue liner Dmitry Kulikov, who didn’t come out to start the third period.

"Upper body, day-to-day. Nothing sinister. Just kind of cramped up on us and couldn’t go," said Paul Maurice. The Jets coach was asked post-game what the key to success was in this one.

"It was pretty damn good goaltending," he quickly replied.

Winnipeg continues the road trip Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia, then finishes it off with back-to-back games Monday and Tuesday in Washington and Nashville. https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/masons-injury-sends-dominoes-falling-across-team- network-476332433.html

Mason's injury sends dominoes falling across team network

By: Mike McIntyre

NEWARK, N.J. — A routine morning skate proved to be anything but for the Winnipeg Jets, as an unexpected injury forced them and all the team’s affiliates into a chaotic scramble for several hours Thursday.

Veteran goalie Steve Mason, fresh off a 3-0 victory in his return to the net following his second concussion of the season, abruptly left the ice after only about 15 minutes Thursday. It was clear something wasn’t right.

Coach Paul Maurice confirmed it a short time later, saying Mason had suffered a lower-body injury while taking shots from his teammates. It was another unfortunate turn of events for a player who seemingly can’t buy a break this season.

"We’re not 100 per cent sure the significance of it. So he’s out," was all Maurice could offer. An update is expected today.

Mason’s encouraging start against the New York Rangers on Tuesday had provided hope he could give No. 1 goalie Connor Hellebuyck some rest down the stretch as the Jets gear up for the playoffs. Now his status is uncertain once again.

The scene quickly shifted to Milwaukee, where goalie Michael Hutchinson was practising with the for the first time since being sent down by the Jets earlier in the week to make way for Mason’s return.

Hutchinson — who made two starts with the Jets this season and won them both — was pulled from the rink and quickly booked on a flight to Newark. But delays out of Chicago made his arrival for game time iffy. So the Jets had to come up with a Plan B, inking 32-year-old New Jersey native Zane Kalemba to an emergency pro tryout.

Kalemba is an interesting story: he played one season with the of the SJHL before heading to Princeton, where he spent four seasons with the Tigers. After finishing up his NCAA career, Kalemba spent three years in the ECHL with stops in locales such as Elmira, Reading and Stockton. He then went to Bloomington in the Central Hockey League before playing one season with the Manchester Storm of the Elite league in the United Kingdom.

Kalemba has been out of pro hockey for the past two seasons. He actually has a connection to the Jets, playing with on the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL in 2004- 05.

Wearing No. 30, Kalemba took to the ice for the pre-game skate around the same time Hutchinson’s plane was landing. He’s one of the standby goalies each NHL city has in case of such an emergency.

Hutchinson was dressed and ready by the second period, meaning Kalemba’s NHL experience was over by the first-period intermission.

Meanwhile, the Moose had to fill the void left by Hutchinson, recalling Jamie Phillips from Jacksonville of the ECHL. Phillips had just been returned to the affiliate earlier this week when Hutchinson returned. Naturally, the Icemen will now need to find a goalie to take Phillips’ spot. https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/what-in-the-devils-jets-in-a-jersey-jam-with-scheifele- on-shelf-mason-hurt-again-476279143.html

What in the Devils? Jets in a Jersey jam with Scheifele on shelf, Mason hurt again

By: Mike McIntyre

NEWARK, N.J. — Mark Scheifele will not be in the lineup tonight when the Winnipeg Jets take on the New Jersey Devils.

Coach Paul Maurice provided a brief update following the morning skate at Prudential Center, saying Scheifele is listed as "day-to-day" and is a possibility to return later in this road trip. The No. 1 suffered no structural damage and his injury isn't believed to be serious, the coach said.

"I guess as good as news as we could hope for," said Maurice. "He's a little banged up, so we'll list him as day-to-day. He may play on this trip but we won't know that until we get probably at least another 24 hours out, 48 hours out."

Scheifele left in the second period of Tuesday’s game in New York with a suspected shoulder injury after taking several big hits, including one earlier in the game in a collision with teammate Blake Wheeler.

Maurice also reiterated that this injury was different than the one Scheifele suffered in December that kept him out of the lineup for 16 games.

In other news, backup goalie Steve Mason suffered a lower-body injury in the morning skate, leaving the ice after only about 15 minutes. Maurice said they're not sure just yet how significant it is, but Michael Hutchinson will have to be recalled from the Manitoba Moose.

Mason had just returned from his second concussion of the season to lead the Jets to a 3-0 win Tuesday against the Rangers.

Defenceman Toby Enstrom will return to the lineup tonight after missing the past four games with a lower-body injury. Maurice wouldn't say who he will replace, although Joe Morrow is a good bet.

Brandon Tanev will also be back, taking the spot left absent by Scheifele. He hasn't played since getting hurt in a Feb. 3 game.

Mathieu Perreault is also under the weather and missed the morning skate, but Maurice was hopeful he can play. If not, Marko Dano would draw in.

"This is just kind of your standard daily operating life in the NHL," Maurice said of the flurry of news.

Maurice wouldn't reveal what his line combinations will look like, only to say that captain Blake Wheeler will remain on the wing. Paul Stastny and Bryan Little will likely be in the middle of the top two units, with Andrew Copp and Matt Hendricks centring the bottom two.

Patrik Laine and Nikolaj Ehlers will surely stay with Stastny, as that's been perhaps the hottest line in the NHL over the past week. Tanev will likely skate with Hendricks on the fourth line, but the rest of the combinations will be a mystery until game time.

This is the midway point of the longest road trip of the season. Winnipeg began with a 3-2 win in Carolina Sunday, then followed it up by blanking New York. After tonight, Winnipeg plays Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia, then back-to-back in Washington and Nashville next Monday and Tuesday. https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hobbled-jets-scrappy-survivors-but-regained-health- crucial-to-playoff-success-476305723.html

Hobbled Jets scrappy survivors, but health crucial to playoff success

By: Scott Campbell

The Winnipeg Jets have been in survival mode for a while now — and will remain there until some injured parties get back in the lineup.

Valued members of that cavalry are returning — defenceman Toby Enstrom played Thursday night against the New Jersey Devils — and others are close; it can’t be soon enough. Of course, the seriousness of No. 1 centre Mark Scheifele’s upper-body troubles will factor here, but the team needs to make some improvements if its going to make a decent run in the playoffs.

The club you’ve been watching lately just might win an opening-round playoff series if goaltender Connor Hellebuyck stands on his head. But the Jets wouldn’t last long against the Nashville Predators in the next series, despite being right with them in a 6-5 loss last week. One-off games are not like a playoff battle.

The three-game winning streak heading into the Devils game — against teams that would need miraculous finishes to make the playoffs — has seen them work hard, but struggle with parts of their game.

If they can’t consistently break the puck out of their own zone more effectively, they’re not going to get the best from a highly skilled, powerful forward group.

There are too many flipped pucks in the air to get out of trouble, instead of making plays that let them create with speed through the neutral zone.

A big part of this is having both Enstrom and Jacob Trouba hurt, forcing Tyler Myers and Dmitry Kulikov into playing more and tougher minutes.

Kulikov was embraced as a solid third-pairing defenceman when he was signed, and that part has held up.

He’s had some OK moments when he’s been moved up the lineup, but his overall play understandably drops.

The same can be said for Myers, but more is expected of him by some people because he also plays on the power play and penalty-killing units.

I don’t hold those expectations.

Having seen him play a lot over the years, I think some people expect too much. I enjoyed his rookie season, where he was good offensively (48 points and NHL rookie of the year), but struggled with baffling decisions in the defensive zone.

Back then, I wrote off his defensive-zone troubles as just being young. However, though the years, and as we sit today, not much has changed.

He’s on pace for about 40 points, and I still see those problem areas.

While his overall underlying numbers back up what I’ve seen, at the same time he’s had a nice rebound season after everything he went through last year, both on and off the ice.

He and Kulikov are simply much better when they play fewer minutes and are support players for the top four, not part of it.

Ben Chiarot and Joe Morrow come down from the press box and while Chiarot shows you flashes of good work at times, he’s a seventh defenceman for a reason, so cherish whatever goodness you get from him. Morrow is No. 8.

There have been times this year when the Jets were consistently dominant in all areas, including possession stats, while also having success breaking out and gaining speed through the neutral zone with the puck.

Trouba and Enstrom are big players in this, as they move the puck quickly to the right spots against top competition, allowing more options coming up the ice. They also defend well with their gap control, allowing puck retrievals that lead to good puck movement.

These two are critical for Jets’ playoff success. To have neither in the lineup helps explain why we’ve been watching a team that’s depending on it’s extreme talent to win games (lately, see Patrick Laine), and not the explosive "team" from earlier this season.

While that’s all about grabbing and moving the puck up the ice, I’m not forgetting Adam Lowry’s importance, who I’ve mentioned often during his absence.

The big, nasty centre not only brings a great look from the eye-test, his advanced stats define him as a superior defender who spends a lot of time in the offensive zone.

Lowry’s addition will change the top 12 forward group dramatically, and not just on the so-called fourth line. There will be better and more options for head coach Paul Maurice to toy with, including possible changes to the current top nine.

While I’m proposing a healthy lineup here, after the way the season has gone, I have no expectations that it will happen. I just hope the damage is minimal.

This team might be able to lose one integral player, but not three if it’s going to make a serious run, which I’ve been suggesting is very possible.

A reasonably healthy group really needs to get a good run of games in together before the playoffs. This is a necessary boost for chemistry and cohesion, as teams look to get into their best playoff habits during the stretch drive.

When the Jets face a playoff opponent every second night, it’ll become harder to hide their warts. Game plans get much more defined, and they’ll likely be facing a team with more playoff experience.

Until I see the Jets get some more help from the injured list, I’m keeping my expectations low, as to the style of play we’ll see.

While I fully expect they’ll continue to battle, be resilient and get their share of wins, we can’t expect players to magically transform into something they aren’t.

I keep reminding myself of that as the clock ticks down on the regular season.

Winnipeg Sun http://winnipegsun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/hellebuyck-sets-franchise-record-for-wins-in-a- season-in-latest-jets-victory

Hellebuyck sets franchise record for wins in a season in latest Jets victory

By Ken Wiebe

NEWARK, N.J. — Connor Hellebuyck needed a few seconds to collect his thoughts.

After making 41 saves to propel the Winnipeg Jets to a 3-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, Hellebuyck took sole possession of the franchise record for wins in a season at 35, moving one past long-time Atlanta Thrashers goalie Kari Lehtonen.

Hellebuyck had already spent plenty of time heaping praise on his teammates, something he routinely spends a good chunk of his media scrum doing.

It didn’t take long to realize this was an accomplishment he’s going to savour.

And where you consider where things stood for Hellebuyck at this time last season — when the questions outweighed the answers about his ability to be a bona fide No. 1 guy — you can certainly understand why getting his name in the record book would hold more than just sentimental value.

“I haven’t really let it soak in. It’s a good feeling. Having my name up there is going to be pretty cool,” said Hellebuyck, who appeared in his 55th game and made his 53rd start of the season. “It’s a big milestone in my career. I’m going to enjoy it and continue on and keep pushing the pace.”

Over the course of the season, Hellebuyck has taken the time to appreciate his achievements, while continuing to what it takes to improve.

There are other goals to accomplish, more important ones.

With that said, Hellebuyck has been at the heart of the Jets dramatic turnaround.

He’s provided consistent goaltending and it’s not just about the numbers he’s posting — which are better than league average (2.39 goals-against average, .923 save %).

He’s stabilized the most important position.

Sure, there have been some hiccups — Hellebuyck has given up five goals on five occasions and six in another — but that’s part of the learning process for young goalies.

Just like going through the ups-and-downs of being a first-time, full-time starter.

The Jets believed in Hellebuyck’s abilities, even if veteran Steve Mason was brought in to provide competition and be the primary starter.

Instead of sulking or conceding the net, Hellebuyck was fuelled to find another level during his summer workouts.

He put in the effort, made the necessary changes and came back stronger — both physically and mentally.

And when an opportunity arose in the third game of the regular season, Hellebuyck was ready to take the ball and run with it.

“(Hellebuyck) went through some real growing pains last year and they were necessary,” said Jets head coach Paul Maurice. “He needed to play the number of games (56) and mentally go through what he went through and then spend the summer driven by last season. It’s great that he gets the payoff for what he did. He’s been very good for our team.”

Hellebuyck’s belief in himself never waned.

Throughout the course of the season, Hellebuyck has given the Jets plenty of reason to believe in him as well.

And Thursday’s game was another prime example.

Hellebuyck was tested often against a speedy Devils club, one that held a decisive edge in shots on goal (including a 18-5 advantage during the third period), but the Jets managed to hold on for a one-goal victory.

“They had a lot of shots from the beginning and he kept us in the game, got us into the game,” said Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers. “He’s playing fantastic.”

Ehlers made a fantastic play on what turned out to be the game-winning goal, sticking out his right skate to keep the puck in the offensive zone before sliding the puck over to Dustin Byfuglien.

When Byfuglien’s shot rattled off the iron, Ehlers was there to deposit the rebound for his 26th goal.

Linemate Patrik Laine extended his point streak to 10 games just 4:12 into the contest, scoring his 39th goal of the season (giving him 14 goals and 20 points during the streak).

“I don’t even know what to say. It’s pretty funny. And pretty awesome, of course,” said Ehlers. “He’s a pretty good friend and seeing him scoring the way he does right now, you kind of wish you could do that as well.”

The Jets were responsible for stopping an impressive streak by Devils forward Taylor Hall, who had recorded at least a point in 26 consecutive games before being held off the scoresheet.

“He’s a good, talented player. It had to happen sooner or later,” said Hellebuyck. “I’m glad I was the one (who helped end the streak).”

By winning a fourth consecutive game, the Jets improved to 41-17-9 and they’ll continue a six- game road trip on Saturday afternoon against the .

The Jets played the third period with five defencemen after losing Dmitry Kulikov during the second with an upper-body injury that is considered day-to-day at this point.

“It’s nothing sinister,” said Maurice.

Joel Armia had the other goal for the Jets, snapping a 14-game drought with a wrister from the high slot, giving him a career-best 11 goals on the season.

They Jets are now 33-1-1 when leading after two periods.

“That’s been a big difference from the last two years. We’ve been able to hold the lead, keep them from scoring,” said Ehlers. “We know we score enough goals, but we’ve got to keep them from scoring. I think we play pretty well with the lead.”

Thanks to rock-steady goaltending from Hellebuyck and a group effort to make bigger commitment to team defence, that statement holds true — even in the games where the Jets are forced to hang on for dear life. http://winnipegsun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/winnipeg-jets/jets-snaps-scheifele-suffers-no- structural-damage-mason-hurt-again-schenider-impressed-by-hellebuycks-play

JETS SNAPS: Scheifele suffers no structural damage, Mason hurt again, Schenider impressed by Hellebuyck’s play

By Ken Wiebe

NEWARK, N.J. – Mark Scheifele has avoided a second long-term injury.

The first-line centre of the Winnipeg Jets sat out Thursday’s game against the New Jersey Devils, but head coach Paul Maurice was encouraged by the early diagnosis of Scheifele’s upper-body injury – though he wasn’t willing to share the details of the injury with the assembled members of the media.

“As good news as we could hope for. There’s nothing structural. He’s a little banged up,” Maurice said after the morning skate. “He may play on this trip, but we won’t know that until we get another 24 hours out, 48 hours out. So, good news on that front.”

Maurice reiterated the injury was not related to the one that kept Scheifele sidelined for 16 games earlier this season.

‘That was the truth then and it’s the truth now,” said Maurice, referring to his assessment following Tuesday’s 3-0 win over the New York Rangers.

Scheifele suffered the injury in an odd collision with linemate Blake Wheeler during the first period on Tuesday.

Although he stayed in the game after suffering the injury, Scheifele left the contest with just under four minutes to go in the second period after he stiffened up.

Losing Scheifele for an extended period of time during the stretch run could have been a devastating blow for the Jets.

At least for the time being, Wheeler will stay on the wing instead of moving back to centre like he did the last time Scheifele missed time.

Part of that has to do with the addition of veteran pivot Paul Stastny, who was acquired from the St. Louis Blues prior to the NHL deadline.

“We’ve had difficult injuries we’ve had to deal with and our team has been resilient throughout the entire year,” said Wheeler. “Obviously, it’s a huge hole to fill, (Scheifele) does a lot of things for us. But we’re going to have to have everyone step up a little bit, like we did when he was out the first time.”

In and out The injury to Scheifele opened the door for Jets winger Brandon Tanev to return to the lineup after missing the past 13 games, 11 due to injury and two others as a healthy scratch.

On the back end, Toby Enstrom returned to the lineup after missing four games with a lower- body injury he suffered while blocking a shot in practice.

Enstrom replaced Joe Morrow Jets defenceman Jacob Trouba shed the non-contact jersey on Thursday and continues to take steps toward returning to game action, though Maurice reiterated he isn’t expected to be back before the team returns home from this six-game road trip.

As for Jets centre Adam Lowry, there are signs of progress but his return is not imminent.

Lowry has missed 23 of the past 25 games with an upper-body injury.

“Each day we try to push him a little bit harder with the grind,” said Maurice. “But until he gets out of that (non-contact) sweater, we don’t talk about him as being close.”

Mason sidelined again After making a triumphant return from his second concussion of the season, Jets backup goalie Steve Mason is sidelined again.

Mason, who made 31 saves and recorded his first shutout of the campaign against the Rangers, left Thursday’s morning skate early with a lower-body issue.

Mason was encouraged by his play on Tuesday and was excited about the prospect of trying to get into a bit of a rhythm during the stretch run, but this injury is another obstacle for him to overcome in what has been a frustrating season.

Maurice said it was too early to determine the severity of the injury, but goalie Michael Hutchinson was recalled on an emergency basis from the Manitoba Moose of the .

When Hutchinson’s flight out of Chicago was delayed, the Jets actually signed emergency goalie Zane Kalemba to a pro tryout offer.

Kalemba, who played with Wheeler as a member of the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL, played four seasons with Princeton of the NCAA before embarking on a brief pro career.

Kalemba also has a Manitoba connection, as he spent one season with the Flin Flon Bombers of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League in 2005-06.

Kalemba was on hand for the warm-up, but Hutchinson was in uniform in time for the second period.

Hutchinson is 2-0 with the Jets this season and depending on how long Mason is out, he could be called upon before the six-game road trip is complete – especially since the Jets play consecutive games on Monday against the and Tuesday against the Nashville Predators.

Praise for Hellebuyck Devils goalie Cory Schneider is impressed with the steps Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck has taken this season.

Schneider, a former Manitoba Moose puckstopper, knows a thing or two about the occasional bumps in the road on the way to becoming a bona fide No. 1 goalie in a Canadian market.

“Sometimes as a young goalie, it’s really hard and then all of a sudden, it makes sense and something just clicks,” said Schneider. “Maybe you change something or you do something different and everything starts to make more sense out there. Clearly, he’s having that kind of season and he’s a big reason (the Jets) are where they are. They’ve always had the talent, but (Hellebuyck) is really providing some stability in net for them, which is important for any good team.”

Whitecloud signs Brandon product inked a three-year, entry-level contract with the on Thursday.

Whitecloud, a defenceman who recently completed his second season in the NCAA with the Bemidji State Beavers, had four goals and 19 points in 36 games.

The 21-year-old was undrafted and is expected to join the Golden Knights in Buffalo on Friday.

Whitecloud spent two seasons with the Virden Oil Capitals of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League before accepting a scholarship to Bemidji State.

NHL.com https://www.nhl.com/news/winnipeg-jets-new-jersey-devils-game-recap/c-296761308

Hall's streak ends, Devils lose to Jets Had point in 26 straight games; Hellebuyck gets milestone win for Winnipeg by Mike G. Morreale @mikemorrealeNHL / NHL.com Staff Writer

NEWARK, N.J.-- Taylor Hall had his point streak end at 26 games when the New Jersey Devils lost to the Winnipeg Jets 3-2 at Prudential Center on Thursday.

Patrik Laine, Joel Armia and Nikolaj Ehlers scored and Connor Hellebuyck made 41 saves for the Jets (41-17-9), who have won four straight and are four points behind the Nashville Predators for first place in the Central Division.

Hall had 38 points (18 goals, 20 assists) during the streak, dating to Jan. 2; he missed three games from Jan. 22-25 with a thumb injury. The 26-year-old left wing had a point in a New Jersey record 19 straight games (13 goals, 13 assists), the longest streak in the NHL this season, since returning from his injury.

"It was going to end sometime," Hall said. "You want it to be on a night when you had some chances and created some offense and I thought I did that pretty well. There were some nights on the streak where I didn't play well at all and maybe found a way to get a couple of points; that's the way it goes. When you're on a streak like that you find some puck luck."

Hall had two shots on goal and six shots that were blocked.

Hellebuyck (35-10-8) passed Kari Lehtonen for the most single-season victories in Winnipeg/Atlanta Thrashers history. Lehtonen went 34-24-9 for Atlanta in 2006-07.

"[Hall] is a good, talented player, but [the streak had to end] sooner or later and I'm glad I was the one," Hellebuyck said.

Said Jets coach Paul Maurice: "Connor went through some growing pains last year and they were necessary. He spent the summer driven by last season and it's great that he gets the payoff for that work he did this summer because he's been very good for our team."

Nico Hischier had a goal and an assist, Kyle Palmieri scored and Cory Schneider made 21 saves for the Devils (34-26-8), who are one point ahead of the for the first wild card into the from the Eastern Conference.

Ehlers scored at 9:55 of the third period to give the Jets a 3-1 lead, before Hischier scored his 14th of the season at 11:07 to make it 3-2.

Armia scored off a wrist shot from the right circle at 13:26 of the second to give the Jets a 2-0 lead.

Palmieri took a long pass in the middle of the ice at the Jets blue line from Hischier and beat Hellebuyck over his glove to pull the Devils within 2-1 at 16:41 of the second.

"[Hellebuyck's] a big goalie and I think that helps when you have to fight to see pucks through traffic," Palmieri said. "We threw a lot at him. We got in front of him. We got the second chances. Some nights it just doesn't bounce your way."

Laine extended his goal streak to four games (eight goals) and point streak to 10 games (14 goals, six assists) and gave the Jets a 1-0 lead when his wrist shot from the slot beat Schneider inside the left post at 4:12 of the first period.

Laine, who will turn 20 on April 19, has 75 career NHL goals, which is tied for the fourth most in history by a teenager with Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby.

"It doesn't give me any advantage to this hockey game," Laine said. "It's just a number but it is awesome to be on that list."

Goal of the game Ehlers' goal at 9:55 of the third period.

Save of the game Hellebuyck's save on Palmieri at 11:56 of the second period.

Highlight of the game Dustin Byfuglien's hit on Taylor Hall at 18:32 of the second period.

They said it "I'm still behind and I don't want to be behind, but it's still awesome. It's something you don't think about because it's all about team points and we're doing well so that's enough for me." -- Jets forward Patrik Laine, who is one goal behind Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin for the NHL lead

"I have to dig deep and find a way to execute better and be better all-around. It's not a fun feeling. It's not something you can wallow in and feel bad for yourself. There's no time or energy for that. It's about me putting my head down and working hard and executing better." -- Devils goalie Cory Schneider

Need to know Byfuglien had five blocked shots and two hits in a game-high 28:03 in ice time. ... Jets defenseman Dmitry Kulikov (upper body) did not play in the third period and is day-to-day. ... Hynes had no update on center Travis Zajac, who left the game after taking a hit from Andrew Copp at 12:45 of the second period and didn't return. ... The Devils begin a six-game road trip Saturday all against teams currently holding a playoff spot. ... Palmieri has eight points (four goals, four assists) in his past eight games. ... The three players who had more NHL goals than Laine as a teenager are Jimmy Carson (92), Dale Hawerchuk (85) and Brian Bellows (76).

What's next Jets: At the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday (1 p.m. ET; NBCSP, TSN3, NHL.TV) Devils: At the Nashville Predators on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; MSG+, FS-TN, NHL.TV)

Philly.com http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/flyers/steve-mason-winnipeg-jets-philadelphia-flyers-goalie- trying-season-20180309.html

For former Flyers goalie Steve Mason, a trying season by Sam Carchidi

The Winnipeg Jets are having a remarkable season.

Goalie Steve Mason is not.

Mason, the former Flyer who is in his first year with the Jets, was ineffective early in the season and lost his starting job to Connor Hellebuyck. Since then, he has suffered two concussions, and he went down with an undisclosed lower-body injury during Winnipeg’s morning skate Thursday.

Mason, the third-winningest goalie in Flyers history, is not expected to dress for Saturday’s matinee between the fading Flyers (34-23-11) and the Jets (41-17-9) at the Wells Fargo Center.

On Tuesday, Mason stopped 31 shots in his first game for the Jets since Jan. 5 – he had missed about two months because of a concussion – and he blanked the New York Rangers, 3- 0.

It has been a trying season for the 29-year-old. He has struggled to stop pucks consistently, and he suffered his second concussion when he took a shot off his mask during a Jan. 13 morning skate.

Mason has played in just 12 games with the Jets and is 4-6-1 with one no-decision. He has a 3.18 goals-against average and .906 save percentage.

In the off-season, he signed a two-year free-agent deal with Winnipeg that has an annual $4.1 million cap hit.

Mason’s 104 wins with the Flyers are surpassed only by Ron Hextall (240) and Bernie Parent (232). Earlier this season, Mason said the Flyers had saved his career, which had bottomed out in Columbus.

Breakaways Sean Couturier leads the Flyers with 29 goals but hasn’t scored in 10 games, his longest drought of the season. He had a goal and an assist in the Flyers’ first game against Winnipeg this season. … Jets star center Mark Scheifele, who missed Thursday’s 3-2 win in New Jersey with an upper-body injury, is listed as day to day. Scheifele has 51 points in 50 games. … The Flyers blew a 2-0 lead and dropped a 3-2 shootout in Winnipeg on Nov. 16. Scheifele tied that game with 49 seconds left in regulation against , and Hellebuyck made 30 saves to get the win. … Winnipeg’s Patrik Laine, 19, has 75 career goals (39 this season), the fifth-most ever scored by a teenager.

NJ.com https://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/nhl/devils/fireandice/2018/03/08/jets-3-devils-2-post- game-observations-one-streak-ends-another-continues/407353002/

Devils post-game observations of 3-2 loss to Jets

By Greg Tartaglia

In the interest of full disclosure, I must say that I've attended many a (football) game where the Jets lost and frustrated fans in New Jersey. Thursday night at Prudential center, the Jets won a (hockey) game, and it had a similar effect.

Although the attitude among Devils players and coaches still seemed focused and positive after a 3-2 loss to Winnipeg, the lack of much "puck luck" on a 1-2 home stand was enough to leave a somewhat sour taste, even with the team still in playoff position.

Here are a five takeaways from the game.

1. The point-scoring streak? It's Hall over: The Devils have two streaks that have remained intact since the calendar flipped to 2018 – at least, they did, until left wing Taylor Hall was held without a point for the first time in his last 26 appearances, dating back to Dec. 30. His official scoring streak of 19 games (not including three missed due to injury), the longest in the NHL this season, ended with just two official shots on goal against Connor Hellebuyck (41 saves). "For 60 minutes, we played how we wanted to, and their goalie played great," he said.

2. Schneider still on the schneid: The streak that New Jersey wishes had ended is the 10 straight decisions dropped by goalie Cory Schneider, whose last win came in a 3-1 victory over the Red Wings on Dec. 27. He has allowed three goals in each of his three starts since returning from a groin injury March 1 in Florida and was blunt in his self-assessment: "The team just needs better out of me."

3. Physical play took its toll: The Jets employ a number of big-bodied individuals, and there were points of the game at which it seemed the visitors were able to impose their will. The good news for the Devils is, they overcame it and created a number of solid scoring chances (many thwarted by Hellebuyck). The bad news for New Jersey is, it had to finish the game with 11 forwards after Travis Zajac absorbed a hit from Andrew Copp in the second period and left the game. Coach did not have any details as to the extent of Zajac's injury, or if the center would be available on the upcoming road trip.

4. Not the way you want to go out: The Devils won the game that they "should win" on the home stand Tuesday against Montreal. They played well against two of the West's best teams, Vegas and Winnipeg, and lost both by the same score, 3-2. The first two opponents on their road trip are both in first place, Nashville (Central Division) and the aforementioned Golden Knights (Pacific). While going into a stretch like that having lost 6-of-9 is not ideal, one win against such an opponent can help turn things around quickly.

5. Potent quotable: Right wing Kyle Palmieri, who scored his 18th goal of the season against Winnipeg, summed up the situation: “This time of the year, it’s about winning hockey games, and we didn’t do that. So, [there are] some positives to take out of it, but at the end of the day, it’s still a loss.” https://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/nhl/devils/2018/03/08/taylor-hall-point-streak-ends- new-jersey-nj-devils-fall-winnipeg-jets-3-2/407325002/

Hall's point streak ends as the Devils fall to the Jets, 3-2

By Greg Tartaglia

NEWARK – Taylor Hall’s point-scoring streak ended, and the Devils' win streak never got started.

After a rousing win over Montreal boosted New Jersey’s hopes for a winning home stand, it missed numerous opportunities in a 3-2 loss to Winnipeg on Thursday night at Prudential Center.

The Devils’ lead on Columbus for the No. 1 wild card spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs dwindled to one point, coupled with the Blue Jackets’ 5-4 overtime win against Colorado.

Hall was held scoreless for the first time since the start of 2018 after he had netted 38 points in his previous 26 games played.

“I’ve said all along, you want it to end on a night where you get your chances,” Hall said. “Our line was plus-2, and I thought we were in the offensive zone a lot.”

That resulted in 43 shots on goal, only two of which got past Winnipeg netminder Connor Hellebuyck.

"There's nights where you get rewarded for playing the right way, and there's nights where you don't get rewarded, and tonight, we didn't get rewarded," Devils coach John Hynes said.

Kyle Palmieri took a long pass from Nico Hischier to pull the Devils (34-26-8) within 2-1 at 16:41 of the second period. Hischier then got his 14th goal of the season off assists from fellow rookies Jesper Bratt and Will Butcher, cutting into a 3-1 Winnipeg lead with just under nine minutes to play.

“He’s a big goalie, I think that helps when you’re trying to fight to see pucks through traffic,” Palmieri said of Hellebuyck. “We threw a lot at him. We got in front of him, we got the second chances, and some nights it just doesn’t bounce your way.”

The Devils played without Pavel Zacha (upper body injury) and lost another forward when Travis Zajac exited in the second period following a hit by Andrew Copp. Details of Zajac’s injury were not disclosed.

Forward Patrik Laine did extend his point-scoring streak to 10 games for the Jets (41-17-9), scoring his 39th goal of the season – and eighth in the last four games – 4:12 into the game. Joel Armia and Nikolaj Ehlers netted the other Winnipeg goals.

New Jersey ended the night with 76 points. Columbus (75) held the second Eastern Conference wild card by two points over Florida, which blasted the Canadiens 5-0 on Thursday.

The Devils have lost six of nine as they prepare to head west on a six-game, 14-day road trip that first takes them to visit the Central Division leader.

“We've to to have a short memory and get ready for what’s going to be a fun game in Nashville on Saturday night,” Palmieri said.

Goalie Cory Schneider, who dropped his 10th straight decision, called it “the biggest stretch of the year” and added, “I like the way we’re playing as a group. We’ve played some of the best teams in the league here the last week and shown really well. We just need to get points and results, and a lot of that falls on me.”

Schneider (21 saves) remains in search of his first win since Dec. 27 against Detroit.

"I try not to think about it," he said. "I've felt good every time I've stepped in the net. There's not been a single game where I've dwelt on it."

NOTES: Hall's points in 19 straight games was the longest stretch in the NHL this season. He missed three games before the All-Star break with a thumb injury. ... Forward Brian Gibbons returned to the lineup for the first time since breaking his thumb on Jan. 20, replacing Zacha. ... New Jersey's next home game is March 24 vs. Tampa Bay. ... With G Steve Mason out with a lower-body injury, the Jets recalled Michael Hutchinson from the Manitoba Moose. Hutchinson's flight was delayed, so Winnipeg signed Zane Kalemba, a 32-year-old from Saddle Brook to a try-out contract as an emergency backup to Hellebuyck. Hutchinson arrived for the second period.

Associated Press https://www.foxsports.com/nhl/story/laine-scores-again-hellebuyck-stops-41-as-jets-top-devils- 030818

Laine scores again, Hellebuyck stops 41 as Jets top Devils

By Associated Press

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) Patrik Laine extended his point-scoring streak to 10 games for the Winnipeg Jets in another victory. Meanwhile, Taylor Hall saw his run end at 19 for the New Jersey Devils.

Therein lies one tale in the Jets’ 3-2 win Thursday night.

Winnipeg’s top gun struck again with his eighth goal in the last four games. Laine has 14 goals and six assists over the 10-game span. He has 39 goals, pulling within one of Alex Ovechkin for the league lead.

”Maybe it’s just that I’m a year older,” said Laine, who is still only 19. ”I know a little bit more about the game and I’m a better player than last year. When you’re confident and feeling good about your game, you try to shoot it and it doesn’t matter if you are in a great spot. Just get it to the net, and it might go in.”

The other tale of the Jets’ triumph came at the other end of the ice, where Connor Hellebuyck made 41 saves against the persistent Devils as the Jets extended their winning streak to four.

It was a milestone victory for Hellebuyck, his 35th to set the franchise single-season record. Kari Lehtonen held the old mark of 34 for the Atlanta Thrashers in 2006-07.

”I haven’t let it soak in,” Hellebuyck said. ”It’s a good feeling, having my name up there is pretty cool. It’s a big milestone in my career and I’m going to enjoy it and continue on and keep pushing the pace.”

The Jets show no sign of slacking their pace.

Joel Armia and Nikolaj Ehlers also scored as the Jets posted their ninth win in the last 11 games. It also extended the Jets’ streak to 7-0-1 in their last eight road games.

Kyle Palmieri and Nico Hischier scored for the Devils, who lost for the fourth time in five games. They came up a goal short on the night Hall failed to hit the score sheet.

”It was going to end sometime,” said Hall. ”You want it to be on a night when you had some chances and created some offense. I thought I did that pretty well. You try to start a new one and you always want to be honest with your evaluation of yourself. Tonight was a night where you probably deserve a couple of points. There were some nights on the streak where I didn’t play well at all and maybe found a way to get a couple of points. That’s the way it goes.”

The 19 games was the longest consecutive streak in the league this season. Hall had also earned points in 26 consecutive appearances dating to Jan. 2. He missed three games before the All-Star break with a thumb injury.

Hellebuyck took pride in being the one to end the streak.

”Absolutely, he’s a good talented player,” said Hellebuyck. ”It had to happen sooner or later and I’m glad I was the one.”

Cory Schneider stopped 21 as he lost his 10th straight decision. New Jersey got goals from Kyle Palmieri and Nico Hischier.

Laine scored the only goal in the wide-open first period. Unchecked in the slot, he drilled the puck past Schneider at 4:12 for his 39th of the season.

There was plenty of action at both ends with Blake Coleman having the best chance to even the score for the Devils. Coleman broke in alone only to lift a backhander over the net with five minutes remaining.

Down in the New Jersey end, Winnipeg came very close to a 2-0 lead when a deflected shot squeezed by Schneider who dived backward to swat it away inches before it crossed the goal line.

In the second, Winnipeg went up 2-0 at 13:26 when Armia beat Schneider with a wrist shot from the high slot.

Palmieri, sprung by a long lead pass from Nico Hischier, countered for New Jersey with a breakaway goal, ripping a shot over Hellebuyck’s glove at 16:41 to cut the deficit to one.

New Jersey came out flying to start the third, outshooting Winnipeg 10-1 in the first five minutes, but Hellebuyck would not yield.

The next goal went to Winnipeg as Dustin Byfuglien fired a shot off the post and Ehlers buried the rebound at 9:55.

New Jersey fought back again to cut the deficit to 3-2 as puck deflected into the net off Hischier at 11:07.

That’s where it ended, with Hellebuyck stopping 17 shots over the final 20 minutes.

”He’s a big goalie,” Palmieri said of Hellebuyck. ”I think that helps when you have to fight to see pucks through traffic. It’s tough. We threw a lot at him. We got in front of him. We got the second chances. Some nights it just doesn’t bounce your way.”

NOTES: Jets C Mark Scheifele missed the game with an upper-body injury. He is day to day. … Devils LW Brian Gibbons returned to the lineup for the first time since breaking his thumb on Jan. 20. He replaced C Pavel Zacha, who was out with an upper-body injury. … This was the third game of a season-high six-game road trip for Winnipeg. The Jets have upcoming stops in Philadelphia, Washington and Nashville. …. The Devils will embark on a similar journey. They are on the road for the next six, a trip that includes visits to all three California teams and Las Vegas. New Jersey’s next home game is March 24 vs. Tampa Bay. … With G Steve Mason out with a lower-body injury, the Jets recalled Michael Hutchinson from the Manitoba Moose. Hutchinson’s flight was delayed, so Winnipeg signed Zane Kalemba, a 32-year-old from Saddle Brook, New Jersey, to a try-out contract as an emergency backup to Hellebuyck. Hutchinson arrived for the second period. … Devils C Travis Zajac did not return after absorbing a big hit from Andrew Coop in the second period. New Jersey coach John Hynes said he did not have an update on Zajac.

UP NEXT Jets: At Philadelphia on Saturday. Devils: At Nashville on Saturday night.

Sportsnet.ca https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/patrik-laine-impossible-ignore-streaking-jets-top-devils/

Patrik Laine impossible to ignore as streaking Jets top Devils

By Ryan Dixon

NEWARK, N.J. — When a player with all-world skill starts getting some bounces, big things often follow. And, right now, there’s not a larger storyline in the NHL than the goal-scoring prowess of Patrik Laine.

On the same night that saw Taylor Hall’s 26-game point streak end, Laine scored yet another goal as the Winnipeg Jets downed Hall’s New Jersey Devils 3-2 in Newark on Thursday. Laine, who opened the scoring 4:12 into the contest, now has eight goals in his past four outings and 14 in his past 10 to give him 39 goals on the season, one shy of league leader Alex Ovechkin (who was just hitting the ice in Los Angeles with the Washington Capitals as Laine was skating off in Jersey).

Joel Armia and Nikolaj Ehlers also hit paydirt for the Jets, now winners of four straight and eight of their past 10.

As for the guy who just can’t stop burying, the act of putting a puck in the back of the net isn’t even necessarily cause for celebration anymore. Laine was very subdued following his strike versus the Devils and that seemed to accentuate confusion in the building about whether or not the puck actually entered the net after it ended up on the right-winger’s stick 10 feet from the crease at the end of a busted play.

When Laine didn’t react, it caused everyone else to internally ask, “Did he score there?”

The answer is the same as it’s been for about two weeks. Yeah, of course he did.

“I saw it went under [goalie Cory Schneider’s] pad, but I didn’t want to celly too hard,” said the sarcastic Finn. “It wasn’t a pretty goal.”

OK, so maybe it wasn’t his finest work, but it’s certainly no fluke that Laine is tearing up the league. Paul Stastny has been centring a line with Laine and Ehlers since landing in Winnipeg at the trade deadline and he’s been struck by how much of the former’s success is driven by things other than his all-world shot.

“He’s just smart,” Stastny said before the Jersey contest. “No one talks about that — I mean, you don’t have to when [he] has that many goals — finding ways to get open, knowing that sometimes he’s got to be [the first guy] on the forecheck, finding ways to strip the puck.

“He’s offensive-minded, but he doesn’t just sit there and make you do the work; he does a lot of work himself realizing the more time we have the puck, the more tired they’re going to be. His hockey IQ is something that doesn’t get talked about a lot yet.”

That may change if coach Paul Maurice continues to put Laine and fellow youngster Ehlers — who did yeoman’s work to score the game-winner halfway through the third period — out in tense moments where the Jets are protecting a lead, as he did in the dying minutes against the Devils.

“Those two guys have to play in those situations and they earned the right to be on at the end by the way they played in the third,” said Maurice, who guided his team to a victory without the services of top centre Mark Scheifele due to an upper-body injury sustained Tuesday night against the New York Rangers.

The beginning of the third, however, was all about the up-and-coming player charged with stopping pucks for Winnipeg. Connor Hellebuyck was sharp all night, but never more so than during a five-minute stretch to start the final frame when Jersey hammered 10 shots his way as part of the 43 it put on net overall.

“Tonight, I think it was pretty damn good goaltending,” said Maurice, when asked what allowed his team to uphold its reputation as one of the better lead-protecting outfits around. “He found some pucks in traffic; they threw a lot at the net.”

The win was Hellebuyck’s 35th of the season and nudged him past Kari Lehtonen for the highest total in Jets/Atlanta Thrashers franchise history.

“That’s a big milestone in my career,” he said. “I’m going to enjoy it and I’m going to continue on and keep pushing the pace.”

The 24-year-old’s contributions really are as big a factor as anything else when it comes to why this Jets team — which is now halfway through a six-game road trip — is not only poised to make the playoffs, but ready to take on all comers once there.

“I understand — why wouldn’t we talk about Patrik Laine and the season he’s having — but Connor Hellebuyck is kinda the other kid,” said Maurice, noting guys on the less-glamorous side of the puck get lost in the mix sometimes. “Connor went through some real growing pains last year and they were necessary. It’s great that he gets the payoff for the hard work he did this summer, he’s been very good for our team.”

Nice of the bench boss to make sure the goalie gets his due. But good luck trying to stop people from raving about that sniper. https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/5-things-learned-nhl-laine-ranks-best/

5 things we learned in the NHL: Laine ranks with the best

By Andrew Bottomley

A certain Finnish scorer continued his torrid scoring pace, the league’s hottest player finally cooled down and a one-time, fourth-line pest continued his clutch streak.

Here are five things we learned in the NHL on Thursday night.

Laine ties Crosby What do Patrik Laine and Sidney Crosby have in common? They both scored 75 goals while they were still a teenager.

The two are tied for fifth all time among goals scored before reaching the age of 20, behind Brian Bellows (76), Wayne Gretzky (76), Dale Hawerchuk (85) and Jimmy Carson (92), per NHL Public Relations on Twitter.

Laine turns 20 on April 19.

The goal came in the first period of the Winnipeg Jets’s game against the New Jersey Devils when Laine tucked in his 39th of the year. That puts him one goal back of Alex Ovechkin, who leads the league.

Laine has been scoring at an incredible rate over his past 10 games. He has lit the lamp 14 times in that span, only failing to score in one, and is on a four-game scoring streak.

The Hall streak is over Devils forward Taylor Hall has held the entire league’s attention in 2018 by going on a 26-game point streak.

On Thursday night, that streak came to an end.

Hall failed to register a point for the first time in 2018. Sure, he missed a couple of games dealing with an injury, but he compiled a personal point streak consisting of 37 points and an official point streak of 19 games – the longest in Devils franchise history.

His official point streak of 19 games is the longest in @NJDevils franchise history. His stretch of 26 consecutive appearances with a point was the 13th such instance in NHL history. #NHLStats

Hellebuyck ranks as franchise best Sticking with this Jets-Devils game, Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck picked up his 35th win of the season, giving him the most wins by a Jets/Thrashers goalie.

Hellebuyck is in the midst of a terrific season with a 35-10-8 record, a .923 save percentage and a 2.39 goals-against average. The 24-year-old has worked his way into the Vezina conversation as he sits third in wins, fourth in save percentage among goalies who have played at least 50 games and second in goals-against average (also among goalies with at least 50 games). https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/winnipeg-jets-connor-among-star-nhl-rookies-flying-radar/

Winnipeg Jets’ Connor among star NHL rookies flying under the radar

By Steve Dangle

The hangover from this year’s Trade Deadline is a mean one.

I can barely remember anything from the past two months that isn’t a trade rumour and pretty much everyone around me is injured now. What the heck happened?

With the deadline well in the rear view mirror, allow me to talk about a player who I’ve completely ignored this season and I should absolutely feel shame for doing so.

The Calder Trophy race seems to have come down to three players.

There’s Charlie McAvoy, ’s minute-eating defender who has been an enormous part of one of the best teams in the league this season. Unfortunately for Boston, and his Calder hopes, he’ll be out for the next four weeks.

Them there’s Brock Boeser, the Canucks’ rookie who couldn’t stop scoring goals if he tried. A bunch of them on Hockey Night in Canada, no less. Unfortunately for Vancouver, and his Calder hopes, a freak injury will likely keep him out until next season.

Lastly, there’s Matthew Barzal, who’s clearly running away with the Calder. At 69 points in 67 games to date, people don’t even blink when he has a five-point night anymore. He’ll win the Calder in a walk.

But the three-headed monster of McAvoy, Boeser and Barzal has somewhat overshadowed the fact that this season’s rookie class is quite deep beyond them.

Yanni Gourde of the has gotten some recent attention playing in the Atlantic. Nico Hischier has the first overall glow and has backed it up with his play. Alex DeBrincat is making scouts look silly. Come on – 39th overall in 2016? Really?

But the rookie I want to fully cop to ignoring for far too long this season:

Kyle Connor.

I know the Winnipeg Jets are good. They’ve been near the top of the standings basically all season long. I also know Kyle Connor is good. I have read about him and watched a handful of his games. But I’ll just straight up admit that I had no idea he was this good.

I don’t know why I’m so surprised. Last season, which Connor spent most of in the American Hockey League, it was obvious he knew how to put the puck in the net. Connor finished tied for 14th in AHL goal-scoring last season with 25 goals.

Maybe that doesn’t sound that impressive to you, but remember, Connor played 20 NHL games last season, which means he missed a lot of AHL time. Connor played just 52 games in the AHL last season, which was the second-least among the league’s top 20 goal-scorers. Wade Megan lead the AHL with 33 goals in 73 games, but Connor’s 25 goals in 52 games would actually put him on pace to score 35 if he had also played in 73 games.

For this season, I was just looking at the numbers the league’s top rookies were putting up and Connor jumps right off the page.

Connor’s 41 points is tied for fifth among NHL rookies. His 22 goals are tied for second among rookies. Connor’s 17 even-strength goals are tied with DeBrincat for second among rookies, just two goals behind Boeser’s 19. Connor has played in fewer games than both of those players so far.

It’s unlikely, but if Connor can stay healthy, does he deserve to be in the Calder conversation? In most years, he likely would be. In this year’s rookie class, his accomplishments are a bit overshadowed.

Heck, Connor is overshadowed on his own team. Patrik Laine has more NHL experience, but as a teenager he’s even younger than Connor. Well, that and Laine won’t stop scoring.

The Jets score the third-most goals per game in the NHL. That I knew. The Jets have the second-best powerplay percentage in the league. That I knew.

The great season Kyle Connor is having, however? That I did not know. Nobody, not even dummies like me, should be overlooking this player.

The Jets have as many weapons as any team in the league but if teams overlook Kyle Connor, they’re going to get burned.

TSN.ca https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/statscentre-laine-s-world-class-shot-sets-him-apart~1343518 VIDEO LINK)

StatsCentre: Laine's world-class shot sets him apart

Patrik Laine is trying to chase down Alex Ovechkin for the league lead in goals. Laine's world- class shot allows him to score from places other NHLers don't. Mike Kelly explains in StatsCentre https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/stastny-s-smarts-and-chemistry-with-laine-ehlers-on-display-vs- devils~1342793 (VIDEO LINK)

Stastny's smarts and chemistry with Laine, Ehlers on display vs. Devils

TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button discusses Paul Stastny's on-ice smarts and chemistry with Patrik Laine and Nikolaj Ehlers and talks about Connor Hellebuyck stabilizing play all season for the Jets.

TSN 1290 (AUDIO LINKS) https://www.tsn.ca/radio/winnipeg-1290/green-no-rush-to-get-scheifele-back-in-the-lineup- 1.1021611

Green: No rush to get Scheifele back in the lineup

TSN 1290 Jets analyst Josh Green joined host Kevin Olszewski with a preview of Thursday's game against New Jersey and to weigh in on injuries to Mark Scheifele and Steve Mason. www.winnipegjets.com https://www.nhl.com/jets/news/hellebuyck-makes-41-saves-laine-extends-point-streak-in-win- over-devils/c-296765780

Hellebuyck makes 41 saves, Laine extends point streak in win over Devils Jets extend win streak to four straight by Mitchell Clinton @MitchellClinton / WinnipegJets.com

NEWARK, New Jersey - With Mark Scheifele out of the line-up - adding to a list of injuries already affecting the roster - the Winnipeg Jets depth would be tested again in New Jersey against the Devils.

Consider that test passed.

Patrik Laine, Joel Armia, and Nikolaj Ehlers scored, while Connor Hellebuyck made 41 saves to preserve a late lead, as the Jets handed the Devils a 3-2 loss.

It was the fourth consecutive win for the Jets, who improved to 41-17-9. In the process, they also became to the team to snap Taylor Hall's personal 26-game point streak.

"Tonight we had some damn good goaltending," said head coach Paul Maurice. "I think a lot of nights we've given our goaltender a chance that he didn't have to make a lot of special saves. But he found some pucks in traffic. They threw a lot at the net. That's the way they play.

"We got some pretty good saves here tonight. Connor was good."

It was also a significant night for Hellebuyck, as his 35th victory of the season set a new franchise record for wins in a season by a goaltender.

"Having my name up there is going to be pretty cool. It's a big milestone in my career. I'm going to enjoy it, continue on, and keep pushing the pace," said Hellebuyck.

"I thought we played a good game. We grinder hard. We stayed with it right until the end. We're going to have some games like this. This felt like a playoff game. It was good that we were able to come out on top and grind right until the end."

Even with all the line shuffling, one thing remained constant in the early going - Patrik Laine lighting the lamp.

The 39th of the season for the Finnish sniper came just 4:12 into the first period. Ehlers gained the zone off and sent the puck toward the net. The puck deflected off Sami Vatanen, who wasa engaged with Paul Stastny in front, but Laine found the loose puck in tight on Cory Schneider, and beat the Devils goaltender five hole.

The 19-year-old is now second in the NHL in goals, and is tied with Sidney Crosby win goals by a teenager (75). But in Maurice's mind, it was Laine's play, along with his line mates Stastny and Ehlers defensively that shows the progress in the young wingers' games.

"Patrik is a brilliant shooter and he's going to score an awful lot of goals to get to the level we think he can get to. It was the third period play that I liked even more than the goal in the first," said Maurice.

"That's an area of growth. That's why I had them on the ice as a line with the goaltender out. Those two guys have to play in those situations and they earned the right to be on their at the end by the way they played in the third."

In the second, another Finn would put the Jets up 2-0. Armia took a stretch pass from Ben Chiarot just outside the New Jersey zone, and cut to the middle of the ice. From the high slot, Armia let a wrist shot fly that beat Schneider high on the glove side for his 11th of the season.

But the Devils would get on the board shortly after. Kyle Palmieri took a long pass from Nico Hischier at the Jets blue line, and was in all alone on Connor Hellebuyck. Palmieri went high glove for his 18th of the season, and eighth point in his last four games.

Ehlers would get rewarded for a strong play in the defensive zone midway through the third. The winger made a play along the boards to start a breakout, and after setting Byfuglien up for a one-timer at the other end that hit the post, number 27 was there to gather the rebound in his feet, then poke home the rebound for his 26th of the campaign, a new career high.

"That's why we play soccer before the game. It was a great shot by Buff, and it just hit my skate, and I tried to kick it forward so I could put it in," said Ehlers.

"We knew it wasn't going to be an easy game. They have a lot of speed and a lot of skill. But we've got that too. We needed to play hard, play faster than they did, and put pressure on their D. We did that pretty well."

New Jersey would get back within one just 1:12 later, as Hischier poked home a loose puck during a scramble around Hellebuyck.

That's as close as New Jersey would get, as Hellebuyck shut the door to preserve the win, which gives the Jets six of a possible six points halfway through the season-long six-game road trip.

"Connor is kind of the other kid. We don't talk about the defensive guys, but Connor went through some real growing pains last year," said Maurice. "They were necessary. He needed to play the number of games, and mentally go through what he went through.

"Then spend the summer driven by last season. It's great he gets the pay off for the hard work he did this summer. He's been very good for our team."

ICE CHIPS Dmitry Kulikov didn't finish the game, leaving in the third period with an upper-body injury. Maurice says the injury is "nothing sinister" and lists the defenceman as day-to-day.

Global Winnipeg https://globalnews.ca/news/4070391/mathieu-perreault-grateful-for-care-at-st-boniface-hospital/

Mathieu Perreault: Grateful for care at St. Boniface Hospital

By Eva Kovacs Community Producer

Life is busy keeping up with a two year old. Add to that six-month-old twins, and Winnipeg Jets Forward Mathieu Perreault and his wife Jennilie have their hands full … and are loving it.

Their family room is baby central, with toys, books and a steady stream of movement from one child to another.

Feeding one of the babies or pushing his two year old around in a plastic purple car has become as natural to Mathieu by now as his versatile role on the ice in the NHL.

“I’ve been enjoying being a dad.”

But with the demands of being a professional hockey player and all the travelling that comes with it, Mathieu is quick to point out his wife wears the C in their family.

“She does everything, really.”

“On days off when we don’t have games, I do everything I can to help with the feeding, taking care of my older daughter, trying to be a good dad as much as I can,” Mathieu said.

The couple recently opened their home to Global News to talk about their growing family and their connection to St. Boniface Hospital.

In a span of 19 months, Mathieu and Jennilie welcomed three children into the world; their first born Violette, who recently turned two, followed by twins Hector and Penelope.

“It was definitely two different experiences, but both of them are just amazing,” Mathieu said.

Following a smooth but long labour, Violette was born on Feb. 29, 2016 — leap year day — less than a year and a half after the couple moved to Winnipeg. With French roots and English being their second language, St. Boniface Hospital felt particularly comfortable during the delivery process.

“Just giving birth is so stressful. When you’re able to speak your own language it makes it easier,” Jennilie said.

The family quickly grew to include two more children in September 2017.

“It was crazy. In less than three hours, I gave birth (to) twins naturally.”

Hector and Penelope were premature, born at 36 weeks. While Jennilie was released from the hospital, the twins stayed behind in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for seven days.

At first Hector had a little bit of trouble breathing. Penelope, the smaller of the twins, weighing a little over five pounds, needed to put on extra weight.

“It was a little bit stressful at first.”

That first week was filled with multiple trips to and from the hospital every day to be with the twins.

“They did a great job letting us know what was going on and we’re just really thankful for them to make sure our babies were safe and healthy,” Mathieu said.

“They were just amazing with my children, my family,” Jennilie said.

Every year more than 5,600 babies are born at St. Boniface Hospital. A little over 10 per cent or approximately 600 sick or premature babies are treated in the NICU.

The Perreaults say they have first-hand experience of the importance of that specialized medical care.

“Once we were in there, you could see other families and other babies going through tougher times,” Mathieu said.

“Seeing all that, I felt it would be great for me to step up and be a spokesperson for this.”

Mathieu and his wife have added their voices to support fundraising for the St. Boniface Hospital Foundation. They are included in the campaign to promote the 2018 Mega Million Choices Lottery.

“They did such a great job. I felt it was a way to say thank you to them,” Mathieu said.

Giving back to the hospital and a community that has become home is important to Mathieu and Jennilie.

It’s part of the values they want to instill in their children.

“I try to raise them as I’ve been raised, you know, as a polite and genuine person as much as I can,” Mathieu said.

“I just want them to be good people, respectful. That’s really all I can wish for.”