Winnipeg Free Press https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/jets-spook-tacular-in-st-paul-with-2-1- road-win-over-wild-454372663.html

Jets spook-tacular in St. Paul with 2-1 road win over Wild

By: Jason Bell

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Winnipeg's red-hot goalie, Connor Hellebuyck, was a central figure on the Jets' stingy killing unit Tuesday night and a difference maker in the grand scheme of things.

The towering puck-stopper was a pillar of strength at Xcel Energy Center as the Jets successfully shot down five man-advantage opportunities for the and eked out a 2-1 victory over their Central Division foes.

Hellebuyck finished with 28 saves for Winnipeg (6-3-2), which has gained at least a point in five straight contests and sits second in the division after the first month of the 2017-18 NHL campaign.

His numbers are stellar, particularly when considering the struggles he endured last season, his first real taste of the trials and tribulations of being a starter in the NHL. He ran his personal record to 6-0-1, while lowering his goals-against average to 1.91 and save percentage to .940 – all among the league-leaders in those categories.

"(Hellebuyck) was a wall," offered forward Nikolaj Ehlers. "They had some big chances. Having goalies like (Hellebuyck) and (Steve) Mason in the net gives us that belief and that extra security. The way they’re playing right now, it helps us."

Added captain Blake Wheeler: "Your goalie has got to be your best penalty killer. (Hellebuyck) has been great. He’s big in that net right now. He’s playing with a lot of confidence."

Winnipeg left-winger Kyle Connor scored in the first period on Wild starter Alex Stalock, his second tally of the season, while Ehlers netted his seventh on a pretty deke just 43 seconds into the third period to boost the lead after jumping all over a giveaway by defenceman in the Wild zone.

Wild forward Luke Kunin trimmed the lead to one about five minutes later when he converted on a great feed from Nino Niederreiter and ripped a shot by Hellebuyck. The hosts stormed the Jets end for most of the third period but couldn't beat Hellebuyck for the equalizer. The Wild (4- 4-2) outshot the Jets 12-2 in the final frame.

The Jets played with fire, taking far too many minor penalties in another tight-checking, grinding affair that’s become standard procedure for the two clubs.

"It's going to be a one- game, you can bet on that," said Winnipeg head coach Paul Maurice. "And whoever's behind is going to open it up and get a bunch of chances at the end. It usually – and it probably did today – ends up being goaltending who's the difference in the game."

The Wild had two power-play chances in the opening period but Hellebuyck made several key stops, including one with his face that knocked his mask off and caused a stoppage of play.

He said there are no tricks to the trade in those pressure-cooker situations.

"That's my role," said Hellebuyck. "The power plays are so good at this level and guys practise it so much, you really have to be on top of your game."

Minnesota's late charge to tie the contest was everything he expected it to be and more.

"We knew they were going to push right to the end... you could tell they were carrying some momentum and the crowd got into it. That's the fun of the game, battling it out, and I think it shows a lot of character in here," said Hellebuyck. "I had to take a drink of water and get focused because the next five minutes were going to be hectic.

It was a ghoulish display of refereeing on Halloween night. The men in stripes disallowed an early goal by Jets that probably should have counted, sent Connor to the box for goalie interference when he was clearly nudged into Stalock – who flopped to the ice like he'd been Tasered – and failed to nab Jets blue-liner Jacob Trouba for a questionable hit on Niederreiter, who just returned to the lineup after missing six games with a high ankle sprain.

The Jets were scoreless on three power-play chances.

Jets defenceman Tyler Myers scored a quick goal on the power-play less than a minute into the first period, however, the apparent game-opener was waved off by the official nearest the scene. He ruled a hand pass on the play, although at least one video angle appeared to show the 6-7 blue-liner using his chest to knock the puck down before swiping it in. Joel Armia's stick was right there, too.

The refs huddled briefly but no further action was taken, as a hand-pass ruling on the ice isn't a reviewable play, the NHL later confirmed in an email.

"They felt it was a hand pass and that would blow it down, that would negate it. So, the league can't change it," said Maurice. "But clearly it showed that the puck hit him in the middle of his chest, not his hand. It's just one of those breaks that goes against you in a game. We're all very fortunate that we ended up winning the hockey game and it wasn't the one goal that cost us."

The Jets return home to face the Dallas Stars, another Central Division opponent, on Thursday night and then hook up with the on Saturday night. https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/kyle-connor-makes-his-mark-during- latest-call-up-454329643.html

Connor excelling in time with Jets Talented young forward fitting in nicely on top line

By: Jason Bell

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Kyle Connor has impressed the right people over the past two weeks, as the effectiveness of his NHL game takes a major leap forward.

The second-year pro has been a solid contributor since his Oct. 16 promotion from the AHL’s Manitoba Moose to the , when forward was sidelined with a lower-body injury.

"I’m reading off them and getting more familiar with certain ways they play, for sure," Connor said Tuesday, prior to the Jets’ battle with the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. Connor opened the scoring in a 2-1 Jets win against the Wild.

"Nothing in this league is easy, but playing with two great players like that you can learn so much from them (over the full surface of) the ice, so I feel I’m getting better every game," said Connor. "For me, whomever I’m playing with, I try to play my game — play with speed and have that creativity in the offensive zone, but also playing the game the right way. You can’t cheat for anything in this league."

Connor made his season debut on a line with Bryan Little and Patrik Laine Oct. 17 against Columbus, but was bumped up to the top line, replacing Nikolaj Ehlers, with the contest half over and the Blue Jackets ahead 2-0. The move paid immediate dividends as he scored his first goal of the season, although Winnipeg eventually registered a 5-2 home-ice defeat.

The product of Shelby Township, Mich., has been a fixture on the line ever since. On Tuesday, he was the recipient of a favourable bounce off a deflection by Scheifele, collecting the puck and netting his second tally of the season as Winnipeg opened the scoring. He’s also provided three assists for the team, now 3-0-2 in its last five contests and 6-1-2 since beginning the year with resounding defeats to and Calgary.

Wheeler said Connor’s solid work habits and heady offensive game have made him a terrific fit on the top trio.

"He’s great. He’s so smart, that’s the thing that Scheif and I have really been impressed with, just how he thinks the game. He makes the right plays, he plays a direct game — a north and south game," said the Jets’ captain. "For him, the biggest thing was confidence. It’s really difficult for a young player to build confidence in this league.

"He’s a guy that’s used to having offensive success. I think every step of the way for him he’s put up huge numbers, so good offensive players need to make plays, they need to build confidence that way. I think he came up and scored against Columbus and you could see his confidence was there right away. So, that’s it. He’s playing fast, he’s playing direct and he’s fit in nicely."

Unlike last season, Connor didn’t make the Jets directly out of training camp. The big club’s top- six was all but chiselled in granite well before the pre-season games were waged, and the powers that be felt it was in his best interest to begin the season in the minors.

If there was some chagrin on the part of the 2015 first-round draft pick (17th overall), he disguised it well. Connor, 6-1 and pushing 190 pounds, scored three goals and added a pair of assists in four games with the Moose before being recalled.

Points haven’t been the only distinguishing marks of improvement by the former University of Michigan sniper. Blessed with tremendous speed, Connor is winning races to pucks, using his smarts and his frame to retain possession and orchestrating scoring chances with his dynamic linemates.

He reads angles well and has been effective at tying up opposing players, taking away passing lanes and knocking down pucks, all by virtue of an extremely active stick. Finally, he’s more willing to endure some punishment while battling for pucks, a characteristic that was absent from his game and led to his reassignment to the Moose in mid-December.

"It comes with experience and learning to use your body a certain way or use your stick, all those little skills," said Connor. "For me, when I’m moving my feet I’m at my best. That comes with maturity. I had a really great summer and I feel good out there and feel strong."

Connor has a history of getting the best of goaltenders. He scored 35 goals during the 2014-15 junior season with the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL, 35 in his only season (2015-16) with the U of Michigan Wolverines and 25 with the Moose last season.

Connor has embraced the notion being a one-dimensional forward won’t help your cause of sticking in the NHL, said Jets head coach Paul Maurice.

"So much of playing in the NHL is all the other pieces: in on the forecheck and using that quickness and getting physically involved. I’m not talking running guys through the boards, but coming up with loose pucks on the forecheck," Maurice said.

"Mark and Blake do that as a base of their game because of the way they skate, and having another guy on that line that can do it takes some pressure off those guys to be first all the time, to be driving, to create that game.

"Where his game has made an improvement is just that — when he’s the first forechecker to get in and get on it. All the hard things that sometimes aren’t asked of the elite guy off each team when they come out of amateur, there’s certainly a need to do that here."

Winnipeg Sun http://winnipegsun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/winnipeg-jets/jets-hold-their-nerve

Jets hold their nerve

By Ken Wiebe

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Playing with a lead is rarely an easy proposition. So while it’s true the ice was tilted and the Winnipeg Jets were under siege during the third period, the fact they survived the onslaught and able to come away with a 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild is another sign they’re buying into playing the type of grinding games required to endure success over the course of a long season.

Tuesday’s tilt was another prime example.

For roughly 33 minutes, the Jets looked confident while playing with a one-goal lead.

And after Nikolaj Ehlers took advantage of a Matt Dumba turnover to make it 2-0 in the opening minute of the third period, the tide turned but the Jets didn’t fold under pressure.

“They’ve got a good team and they’re going to come hard. We know that push is coming,” said Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey, who lifted the stick of Eric Staal to prevent a prime scoring chance late in the contest.

“It’s a one-goal game and for us, we obviously don’t want to take our foot off the gas to the point we’re giving them the entire zone to skate in and get on us. We knew they had the momentum and we weathered it pretty well. We didn’t try to over-complicate things in those moments and just kept it simple. That’s what you have to do to win.”

The Jets return home to face the Dallas Stars on Thursday at Bell MTS Place to open a two- game homestand.

As is so often the case when these two Central Division rivals get together, only one goal separated the two clubs.

And in improving to 6-3-2 to close out the month of October, the Jets did a lot of things well.

Near the top of that list was getting another rock-solid performance from goalie Connor Hellebuyck.

“He was a wall,” said Ehlers, who provided his team-leading seventh goal of the campaign.

It didn’t take long for a mild controversy to arise.

With Wild defenceman Jared Spurgeon sitting in the box for tripping just 39 seconds into the contest, the Jets appeared to score a power-play goal 17 seconds into the minor penalty.

The puck was bouncing around in the slot and at one point, it caromed in front to defenceman Tyler Myers, who knocked the puck down with his right shoulder.

But as Myers attempted to shoot the puck in himself, it appears as though Armia got to it first and backhanded it in.

But referee Dean Morton waved off the goal immediately, ruling there was a hand pass on the play.

The NHL situation room initiated a video review, but after being told by Morton that his intention was to call a hand pass, the call on the ice stood and it was no goal.

For those wondering, a coach’s challenge was not available to Jets head coach Paul Maurice on the play.

With goal scoring at a premium, it’s precisely the type of play the NHL should strive to be accurate on, so why not making all scoring plays at least reviewable?

Instead of getting some early momentum with a power-play marker, the Jets had to try and regain their composure.

As it turns out, left-winger Kyle Connor opened the scoring at 7:10 of the opening period, grabbing a loose puck in the slot and burying his shot for his second goal and fifth point in six games since he was recalled from the Manitoba Moose of the .

During the final minute of the second period, Patrik Laine was called for slashing Marcus Foligno in the back of the leg, but the Wild forward got a penalty as well for embellishment.

During that four-on-four action early in the third period, Ehlers got behind the Wild defence and scored what proved to be the game-winner.

“You’re never going to blow the doors off this team. It doesn’t matter if their whole roster is injured or whatever,” said Jets captain Blake Wheeler. “These guys play about as structured a game as you’re going to find. The expectation is that if you’re going to leave here with a win, it’s going to be a 2-1 game, maybe 3-2. We came in with that mindset. We were sitting on one for a while and we felt comfortable when we got it to two.”

The Wild wouldn’t go quietly, which is no surprise considering how close the games between these two Central Division rivals usually are. Staal got in on the forecheck and knocked Myers to the ice, Nino Niederreiter jumped on the loose puck and got it in front to rookie Luke Kunin, who was all alone and buried his shot.

Getting outshot 12-2 in the final period is never the preferred plan of attack, but there are times during the course of the season when the guy between the pipes is going to have to stand tall in order to fend off a push from the opposition.

“It’s going to be a one-goal game, you can bet on that. And whoever’s behind’s going to open it up and get a bunch of chances at the end,” said Jets head coach Paul Maurice.

“It usually, and it probably did today, ends up being goaltending that is the difference in the game.” http://winnipegsun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/winnipeg-jets/hellebuyck-and-dubnyk-form-bond

Hellebuyck and Dubnyk form bond

By Ken Wiebe

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Connor Hellebuyck and Devan Dubnyk were already part of the goalie fraternity.

But after connecting this past summer with the NET360 program in Kelowna, the two have become friends.

And for a young goalie like Hellebuyck, it’s been great to have a resource in Dubnyk — who has dealt with some ups-and-downs during his career and also played under the intense scrutiny in a Canadian market from his time with the Edmonton Oilers.

“The way he conducts himself. It’s hard not to pick up little things from just watching him,” said Hellebuyck, who is off to a great start this season with the Winnipeg Jets. “He’s got this figured out and he’s been doing what I sought after for the last couple of years now. The biggest thing was in the gym mainly. I would be struggling in the gym with an exercise and he was doing it super easy, so I would learn his tricks and the tricks translate onto the ice too.

“And he’s not afraid. He’ll do whatever he needs to in order to make a save. He believes in himself and he has what it takes.”

After the Jets signed veteran Steve Mason this past summer, Dubnyk offered some advice that Hellebuyck took to heart.

“He’s a peer. I’m not a teacher to him but I had a couple of conversations with him about the situation going into the year,” said Dubnyk. “I thought (Hellebuyck) had a good year last year. You can’t forget, he’s extremely young and that’s a tough situation to be in, especially in a Canadian market. I’ve been there.

“I just told him to go play and to be ready and not think about the situation. Just to work hard and enjoy it, because an opportunity is going to present itself. That’s exactly what he’s done. He got his opportunity and he grabbed it. He’s still a big part of (the Jets) plan. He’s obviously a great goalie and he’s showing it again this year. I’m happy to see that he’s getting his starts and playing well.”

During the summer, Dubnyk learned a great deal about Hellebuyck.

“He’s positive and you could tell he was excited to learn and he was trying to soak it all in,” said Dubnyk, who got a visit in with Hellebuyck after the first meeting between the two teams back on Oct. 20. “He was a fun guy to be around. He’s a competitive guy.”

CONNOR FITTING IN Jets rookie Kyle Connor is drawing praise from his linemates and head coach for his ability to not only jump into the lineup but to make a contribution since his promotion to the top line with Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler.

With a goal in Tuesday’s 2-1 win over the Wild, Connor has two goals and five points in six games since his recall.

“For me, when I’m moving my feet I’m at my best and I’m focusing on that right now,” said Connor.

But Connor is doing more than chip in offensively.

Connor was more of a perimeter player when he came into the NHL as a rookie, but he’s found a way to get involved on the forecheck and continues to improve his all-around game.

“You know what, you’ve got a real skilled, real fast player who shoots the puck and can make some plays,” said Jets head coach Paul Maurice. “So much of playing in the NHL is all of the other pieces to it. Getting in on the forecheck and using that quickness and getting physically involved — I’m not talking about running guys through the boards, but coming up with loose pucks on the forecheck.

“The place where his game has made an improvement is where he’s the first forechecker, to get in and get on it and then the reloads and all the hard things that sometimes aren’t asked of the elite guy off each team when they come out of amateur (hockey). Certainly, you need to do that here. Going back to last year, that was the area of his game where he needed to make the biggest improvement and he has. He’s better at it than he was in training camp.”

And by doing it here, Connor has earned not only the opportunity to stick in the NHL but to continue to play on a line that takes on the biggest minutes on a regular basis.

“He’s fit in nicely,” said Wheeler. “He’s so smart and that’s the thing that (Scheifele) and I have been impressed with — how he thinks the game. He makes the right plays and he plays a direct game, a north-south game. It’s really difficult for a young player to build confidence. (Connor) was used to having offensive success. Every step of the way for him, he’s put up huge numbers and for good offensive players, they need to make plays and build confidence that way.”

MATTHIAS GETS HELPERS Perhaps nobody has been more frustrated in the early part of the season for the Jets than forward Shawn Matthias.

Matthias had generated plenty of glorious scoring chances among his 11 shots on goal (going into Tuesday’s game), but was becoming visibly frustrated by his inability to find the back of the net.

Despite going 10 games without scoring to start the season, Matthias picked up a pair of assists in Sunday’s 7-1 blowout win over the for his first points of the campaign.

“When you’re not putting the puck in the back of the net, it’s on your mind,” said Maurice. “It will change your game and it will get you to cheat for it. (Matthias) hasn’t done that, so he needs to get that kind of positive, tangible feedback on an assist on a goal to stay comfortable. I’ve liked his game and I’ve liked his effort. You want him to have a good feeling after a game because he’s played well for us. He just hasn’t had anything on the score sheet (until Sunday). So that helps.”

LOWRY INCHING CLOSER Jets centre Adam Lowry sat out a seventh consecutive game on Tuesday with an upper-body injury and while he won’t suit up on Thursday against the Dallas Stars, Maurice left the door open for a potential return on Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens.

“That’s a possibility,” said Maurice.

NHL.com https://www.nhl.com/news/winnipeg-jets-minnesota-wild-game-recap/c-292487118

Hellebuyck, Jets hold off Wild Makes 28 saves to give Winnipeg second straight win by Jessi Pierce / NHL.com Correspondent

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Connor Hellebuyck made 28 saves for the Winnipeg Jets in a 2-1 win against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center on Tuesday.

Hellebuyck is 6-0-1 this season with a 1.91 goals-against average and .940 save percentage.

"I was slowly improving all last year," Hellebuyck said. "… I really figured out my game and was able to replicate it. Now I know exactly what I'm doing every night."

Winnipeg (6-3-2) appeared to take a 1-0 lead when forward Joel Armia scored 47 seconds into the first period. On-ice officials initially ruled no goal and video review initiated by the officials determined there was a hand pass and the on-ice call was upheld.

Kyle Connor received a tip pass from Mark Scheifele and scored at 7:10 of the first period to give the Jets a 1-0 lead. Nikolaj Ehlers made it 2-0 43 seconds into the third period after picking off a drop pass by Wild defenseman Matt Dumba.

Wild coach Bruce Boudreau kept Dumba on the bench for the final 19:17 as a result of the turnover.

"He just hasn't been playing that well," Boudreau said. "He's a good player that maybe I've set the bar pretty high for him and he hasn't reached that bar. I just thought that was an inexcusable play, and at some point you have to be accountable for your actions."

Luke Kunin scored his second NHL goal at 5:36 to make it 2-1.

Alex Stalock made 17 saves in his third start for Minnesota (4-4-2). It was Stalock's first loss to the Jets in four starts.

Winnipeg is 3-0-2 in its past five games.

"There's a lot of really good areas to improve on," Jets coach Paul Maurice said. "What I like is the general theme … I think we're playing faster. That's the style of game we have to play. We're moving the puck a little bit quicker, we're a little simpler through the neutral zone. I still think we can generate more shots, put more pucks to the net. Twenty games is the quarter pole, but we've been fortunate to have good goaltending, so we're on the right side of the ledger."

Goal of the game Connor's goal at 7:10 of first period.

Save of the game Hellebuyck's save on Mikael Granlund at 18:29 of the third period.

Highlight of the game Ehlers' unassisted backhand at 0:43 of the third period.

They said it "Those guys are getting paid a lot of money too. I hope they would push. They score a goal, and I thought our next couple shifts were fast, direct, we got pucks behind them, had a couple chances there to extend the lead, and that's all you're looking for. You can't really expect to get a shutout every game in this league. They're going to score goals, and what you're looking for is how you respond, what your next few shifts look like, and I thought we were good." -- Jets captain Blake Wheeler

"Self-preparation, it hasn't been there for a few games right now. We were lucky to be in the position we were in in the last 10 minutes of the game. They had two breakaways, maybe three, and it could've been [3-0 or 4-0] going into the third period." -- Wild coach Bruce Boudreau

Need to know The Jets are 27-for-31 (87.1 percent) on the penalty kill in their past nine games, including 15- for-16 in their past four. … Wild forward Nino Niederreiter had one assist and was plus-1 playing 14:09 in his first game after missing six with an ankle injury. It was his first point of the season.

What's next Wild: Host the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; FS-N, TSN2, RDS, NHL.TV) Jets: Host the Dallas Stars on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; TSN3, FS-SW; NHL.TV)

Associated Press http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/connor-hellebuyck-jets-continue-roll-narrow-win-wild/

Connor Hellebuyck, Jets continue roll with narrow win against Wild

By Associated Press

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck found a new trainer to work with in the off-season to continue his development.

Hellebuyck’s work with the trainer, who also trains Minnesota Wild goaltender Devan Dubnky, is paying off for Winnipeg.

Hellebuyck made 28 saves, and Nikolaj Ehlers and Kyle Connor scored for the Jets in a 2-1 win over Minnesota on Tuesday.

"Not that I ever didn’t work hard, but I really figured out my game and was able to replicate it," Hellebuyck said. "Now I know exactly what I’m doing every night."

Ehlers scored his team-leading seventh goal of the season and Connor added his second for Winnipeg, which is 6-1-1 since an 0-2 start to the season.

Rookie Luke Kunin scored his second goal of the season and goaltender Alex Stalock stopped 17 shots for the Wild, who had won two in a row and three of their previous four games.

Minnesota was 0 for 5 on the power play.

"I think on the power play, it may sound difficult, and it may not go in, but you need five guys thinking as one," Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said. "And I think right now, we’ve got five guys thinking as five guys. And so nobody can read what you’re supposed to be doing. And we do have, there’s a plan in place, and we’ve got to get the guys to just do the plan."

Hellebuyck continued his strong run in net for the Jets, who had made the move to acquire Steve Mason as the starting netminder in the off-season. While Mason has a 4.84 goals-against average and .872 save percentage in his four games, Hellebuyck’s numbers rank among the league’s best.

He entered the game sixth in the NHL in save percentage (.937). Hellebuyck (6-0-1) is the only goaltender in the NHL who has made at least five starts and is undefeated in regulation.

"I think the big games bring out the best in him and he’s playing with a lot of confidence right now," Jets forward Blake Wheeler said. "We’re trying to do a good job in front of him, letting him see pucks, and he’s making some big saves so that keeps you in games."

Hellebuyck stopped 11 shots in the third as Winnipeg was outshot 12-2 in the final period.

Connor opened the scoring 7:10 into the first. Mark Scheifele tipped defenceman Tyler Myers’ shot from the point and the puck fell right to Connor. The line of Connor, Scheifele and Blake Wheeler have accounted for five goals in the past two games.

Ehlers took advantage of a mistake by Minnesota defenceman Matt Dumba in the third. Dumba tried a drop pass in the defensive zone to Mikael Granlund, but Ehlers was between them and quickly collected the loose puck, skated past Granlund and scored for a 2-0 lead.

"I was kind of looking to see what he was going to do," Ehlers said. "I saw he looked back at Granlund and I was hoping he was going to drop that puck."

Dumba was benched by Boudreau after the turnover.

"I know that was my fault tonight. I’ve just got to man up and own it and try to move on," Dumba said. "It’s frustrating, and you know you let your teammates down like that on a play that I can routinely make. It’s like an interception, like a pick-6, like the guy runs it back to the house."

NOTES: Minnesota F Nino Niederreiter returned to the lineup after missing six games with a left high ankle sprain. He assisted on Kunin’s goal for his point in four games this year. . Winnipeg F Adam Lowry (upper-body injury) practiced with the team during Tuesday’s morning skate and coach Paul Maurice left open the possibility he could return on Saturday against Montreal after missing seven games. . The Jets are 15 for 16 on the penalty kill in their last four games and 27 for 31 in past eight games after giving up four power-play goals in the first two games.

UP NEXT Jets: Return home against Dallas on Thursday. Wild: Two more games remain in their season-long, six-game homestand with Montreal on Thursday.

Minneapolis Star Trubune http://www.startribune.com/matt-dumba-misplay-gives-jets-win-over-wild/454372433/#1

Matt Dumba's misplay boosts Jets to 2-1 win over the Wild

By Rachel Blount

A gracious teammate, Alex Stalock knows, is always there to share any burden. So the Wild goaltender blamed himself Tuesday, wishing he had chosen a different strategy when Nikolaj Ehlers closed in on him.

Ehlers was there — all alone, in the slot, with the puck on his stick — because Wild defenseman Matt Dumba had made a careless drop pass early in the third period of a tight game against Winnipeg. The puck wound up in the back of the net, and Dumba was banished to the bench for the rest of a 2-1 loss. But Stalock, despite another strong start, recognized there was culpability up and down the lineup as the Wild’s two-game win streak was extinguished at Xcel Energy Center.

Dumba’s giveaway at the Wild blue line was only the most egregious error. The Wild’s punchless power play failed to score on five opportunities, and the offense wasn’t fully engaged until the third period. Even then, the Wild got only 29 shots to the net, with 46 others blocked or sent wide.

Facing Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck, who is among the NHL’s statistical leaders, the Wild needed a sterling effort but got far too little, far too late.

“We didn’t play the full 60 [minutes],” said forward Luke Kunin, who scored the Wild’s lone goal at 5 minutes, 36 seconds of the third period. “I don’t think we were as prepared as we needed to be.

“We didn’t play to our strengths. We didn’t play to our game plan. Too many turnovers, and just not doing the right things. We’ve got to be better.”

No argument there, from coach Bruce Boudreau or anyone in the locker room. Boudreau snarkily suggested Tuesday morning that “it would be nice if our players played really well in front of [Stalock] one night,” noting the backup goalie had gotten lackluster support in two solid starts.

He made the same point to his team between the ragged first and second periods Tuesday, as the Wild failed to even put a shot on goal before Kyle Connor gave Winnipeg a 1-0 lead at 7:10 of the first. The swift Jets outskated the Wild for most of the first two periods, then doubled their lead on Dumba’s gaffe.

Dumba said he was trying to get the puck to Mikael Granlund, who was behind him, but passed too softly. Ehlers scooped it up, dodged Granlund and deked around Stalock, who chastised himself for challenging Ehlers. “That’s my job, ultimately, to make the save,” he said. “That’s one I’d like to have back.”

A downcast Dumba knew the feeling. “That’s like an interception, a pick-six,” said the defenseman, who has struggled often this season. “That was my fault. It’s frustrating. You know you let your teammates down.”

Boudreau found plenty of blame to go around. With Dumba benched for what the coach called “an inexcusable play,” the Wild mounted a frantic last stand. It outshot Winnipeg 12-2 in the third period and scored when Nino Niederreiter sent a no-look pass to Kunin in the slot.

Once again, though, Boudreau ended up feeling sorry for a goaltender who deserved a better ending — and befuddled by a team that isn’t taking charge of its collective fate.

“I wish I could answer that question,” he said, when asked why his team started so poorly. “Our self-preparation hasn’t been there for a few games.”

Duluth News Tribune http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/sports/4352418-streaking-jets-slip-past-wild

Streaking Jets slip past Wild

By Sports Xchange

ST. PAUL -- Two nights after putting up a touchdown against the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Winnipeg Jets found another way to win on the road, with defense.

Kyle Connor scored an early goal, and Connor Hellebuyck made 28 saves as the Jets beat the Minnesota Wild 2-1 on Tuesday night.

Nikolaj Ehlers also scored late as the Jets (6-3-2) beat Minnesota for the second time in October. Winnipeg, which romped past the Pittsburgh Penguins 7-1 on Sunday, has gone five consecutive games without a regulation loss (3-0-2).

"That's what this team has struggled with the last two years, since I've been here. We haven't been able to find a way to give ourselves a chance every single game," Ehlers said. "We've done that the past couple games, so it feels good to see that we've made some big steps and some progress."

The Wild (4-4-2) got 17 saves from goalie Alex Stalock and a second career goal from Luke Kunin but saw their two-game winning streak snapped.

The Jets got a power play in the opening minute of the game and appeared to score a power- play goal with just 47 seconds elapsed when Joel Armia tapped in a loose puck with traffic in front of Stalock. However, the on-ice officials immediate ruled no goal, calling a hand pass on the play. Winnipeg protested, but hand-pass calls are not reviewable.

"What they felt it was a hand pass and that would blow it down and negate it, so it's also not reviewable," Jets coach Paul Maurice said.

"It's not knocked into the net with the hand, so the league can't change it and clearly it showed it was the middle of the chest and not his hand, so it's one of those breaks that goes against you in a game and we're very fortunate that we ended up winning the hockey game and it wasn't the one goal that cost us."

Winnipeg got on the board for real with 7:10 elapsed in the first period when a long-range shot by Tyler Myers was redirected by Mark Scheifele at the top of the crease, then popped in by Connor for his second goal of the season.

The Jets killed two Wild power plays in the first and emerged up 1-0 with an 11-7 advantage in shots. Minnesota had a trio of power plays in the second and outshot Winnipeg 10-6 but still emerged trailing by a goal.

Winnipeg made it 2-0 in the opening minute of the third after an ugly turnover by Wild defenseman Matt Dumba. His no-look pass was picked up by Ehlers, who scored his team- leading seventh goal of the season, slipping a low shot past Stalock with the goalie prone.

"I'd like to have that one back maybe. As soon as you see that play develop, I kind of made up in my mind that I was going to come out and challenge this guy. Obviously the wrong play," said Stalock, now 1-1-1 as a starter. "But I kind of made up my mind, said I was going, and turns out it didn't work and they ended up getting the winner."

Dumba was benched for the rest of the game.

"You know he just hasn't been playing that well. He's a good player that maybe I've set the bar pretty high for him and he hasn't reached that bar," Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said. "I just thought that was an inexcusable play, and at some point you have to be accountable for your actions."

Minnesota finally solved Hellebuyck with 14:24 to play in the third. Nino Niederreiter zipped a no-look pass from the corner to Kunin, who was at the top of the crease. The rookie's quick wrist shot beat the Winnipeg goalie on the stick side.

NOTES: Tuesday's game was the first time the Wild have played at home on Halloween since 2002, when they beat the San Jose Sharks in overtime on a goal by Sergei Zholtok, who died two years later. ... Jets G Connor Hellebuyck made his NHL debut at Xcel Energy Center on Nov. 26, 2015, earning his first win with 14 saves to beat the Wild 3-1. ... Minnesota LW Nino Niederreiter returned to the lineup and the team's top line after being activated off injured reserve. He had missed six games with a high ankle sprain. ... Both teams will be at home for their next two games. The Jets host Dallas on Thursday and Montreal on Saturday. Minnesota hosts Montreal on Thursday and Chicago on Saturday.

TSN 1290 (AUDIO LINKS) http://www.tsn.ca/radio/winnipeg-1290/woodley-hellebuyck-worked-to-move-more-efficiently- 1.901944

Woodley: Hellebuyck worked to move more efficiently

Kevin Woodley of NHL.com & InGoal Magazine joins the Afternoon Ride and discusses the changes in Connor Hellebuyck's off-season training that have allowed him to have success this season. www.winnipegjets.com https://www.nhl.com/jets/news/connor-ehlers-score-to-help-jets-to-second-straight-win-over- wild/c-292488480 (INTERVIEWS INCLUDED)

Connor, Ehlers score to help Jets to second straight win over Wild Hellebuyck makes 28 saves, improves save percentage to 0.943 by Mitchell Clinton @MitchellClinton / WinnipegJets.com

ST. PAUL, MN - They didn't score seven, but two was enough on this night.

Following the high-scoring affair against the Pittsburgh Penguins two nights ago, the Winnipeg Jets skated to a 2-1 win over Central Division rival Minnesota Tuesday night.

Kyle Connor and Nikolaj Ehlers provided the offense for Winnipeg, while Luke Kunin answered for Minnesota.

The Jets have now won the first two of the four meetings they have with the Wild this season.

"It was another game that our best offense didn't get in behind them. It was a good road game," said head coach Paul Maurice. "I liked our game an awful lot until it got up to 2-1, and we were on our heels a little bit…. A solid game."

The Jets appeared to strike first on the power play 39 seconds in, but the officials ruled a loose puck off a wrist shot from Ehlers got to Joel Armia's stick as a result of a hand pass from Tyler Myers.

Less than seven minutes later, the Jets would make one count. Following some great work along the boards by Blake Wheeler, Dmitry Kulikov sent a cross-ice pass to Tyler Myers. Mark Scheifele deflected the point shot from Myers, and the puck bounced off the skate blade of Ryan Suter to Connor, who beat the outstretched leg of Stalock.

It was Connor's second goal and fifth point in six games since his recall from the Manitoba Moose.

"Kyle has done a real good job of becoming a readable player on the ice, which is hard sometimes as a young man, for your line mates to get that feel of consistency," said Maurice. "He's been good. When he's come in, he's had three really strong games in his start, and they've got a good chemistry."

The Jets penalty kill was on display in the second, keeping the Wild off the board on four power play chances. Wheeler and Scheifele each had shorthanded breakaways, but neither could convert - Scheifele struck iron on a wrist shot, Wheeler lost the handle in tight after faking to his backhand.

The Jets killed off all five Minnesota power plays in the win, and Maurice says the success begins in the crease.

"Especially the first save he makes, that's going to be the difference in your penalty kill and the confidence you have in it. We're still finding places to be aggressive in our own end," said Maurice.

"Our stands were good today at the line, and we did a really good job and created a couple breakaways off it."

Nikolaj Ehlers extended the lead to 2-0 just 43 seconds into the third when he jumped on a drop pass from Matt Dumba inside the Wild zone. After getting around a diving Mikael Granlund, cut in front of Stalock and beat him with a deke to his backhand.

"I was looking to see what (Dumba) was going to do. I saw he looked back at Granlund, and I was hoping he was going to bump that puck," Ehlers said of his seventh of the season.

The Danish forward finished with 15:40 of ice time, including being on the ice late as the Wild poured on the pressure.

"It feels great that the coaching staff believes in me," he said. "I'm trying to go out there and make sure we don't get a goal against. It was good and it's nice to see that the hard work that I've been doing defensively has paid off."

The two-goal lead lasted for 4:53, before a forecheck from Eric Staal left a loose puck in the corner for Nino Niederreiter. His backhand pass in front found the tape of Luke Kunin, who beat Hellebuyck from the slot for his second of the season.

But after that, Hellebuyck shut the door, making a number of stops as the Wild peppered the Jets net with 12 shots in the third period. In total, the Jets netminder turned away 28 of the 29 shots he faced, improving his personal record to 6-0-1.

"We kind of expected it. That's a good team over there, and we knew they were going to push right to the end," said Hellebuyck. "They got that one, and you could just tell they were carrying some momentum. The crowd got into it.

"That's the fun of the game, battling that out. I think it shows a lot of character in here."

At 6-3-2, the Jets finish the month of October with 14 of the 22 possible points, and head home for a two-game home stand that begins Thursday night against the Dallas Stars.

"What I like is the general theme. I've felt since the Columbus game at home, I think we're playing faster," said Maurice. "That is the style of game we have to play. We're moving the puck quicker, we're a little simpler through the neutral zone. I still think we can generate more shots and get more pucks to the net.

"We've been fortunate. We've had good goaltending. We're on the right side of the ledger."