WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) Connor Hellebuyck was calm in the crease again for the Winnipeg Jets.
Hellebuyck made 29 saves for his fourth shutout of the season and the Jets extended their home winning streak to six games with a 1-0 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday night.
Patrik Laine scored his team-leading 21st goal in the first period.
Hellebuyck picked up his 25th win for the Jets, who moved into first place in the Central Division, one point ahead of idle Nashville.
”I like to think that I’m a calm goalie,” Hellebuyck said. ”I like to have things around me at ease. I think that helps the team and I like to stick to it.”
Anders Nilsson stopped 35 shots for the Canucks, who had lost 5-2 to Edmonton the night before. It was Nilsson’s sixth straight loss, but coach Travis Green said it was a good outing since the netminder hadn’t started for two weeks.
”Great game. Really good,” Green said. ”I’m happy for him that he gave us a really good game on the road against a real good team.”
Jets captain Blake Wheeler sent a backhand pass from behind the net to Laine in front, and he gave his team the lead at 11:45 of the first period.
The Jets had their second power play of the game midway through the third. Dustin Byfuglien rang a shot off the post and Kyle Connor had a quick shot stopped by Nilsson.
Hellebuyck got a cut around his right eye after being hit by an errant stick when teammate Josh Morrissey and Canucks forward Thomas Vanek got tangled up in the crease with under four minutes left in the game. A trainer came out to tend to the wound, and then play continued.
”As far as I know, there was a shot coming in and I slid into it,” Hellebuyck said. ”Pretty routine save and all of the sudden I have a stick poking me in the eye. I don’t really know everything in between that. Everything’s fine.”
NOTES: Canucks center Bo Horvat was back on the ice after missing 18 games with a broken bone in his foot suffered on Dec. 5.
UP NEXT
Canucks: Host Los Angeles on Tuesday night.
Jets: Play at San Jose on Tuesday night.
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