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Hellebuyck gets fourth shutout of season as Jets beat Capitals 3-0

Mon, Mar 11, 2024
NHL News (AP)

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) - Connor Hellebuyck stopped 23 shots for his fourth shutout of the season as the Winnipeg Jets beat the Washington Capitals 3-0 on Monday night.

Hellebuyck improved to 30-14-3, becoming the fourth goalie this season to reach the 30-win mark. He accomplished the feat for the fifth time in his career. It was Hellebuyck's 36th career shutout.

Neal Pionk, Alex Iafallo and Kyle Connor scored for the Jets, who were coming off a 5-0 shutout loss to Vancouver on Saturday that Winnipeg coach Rick Bowness described as the worst game "by far" the team had played in his two-year tenure. The Jets have won eight of their last 11.

Charlie Lindgren had 26 saves for Washington, which began a five-game road trip with its third loss in six games.

New Jets players Tyler Toffoli and Colin Miller were cheered loudly when they were welcomed by the rink announcer and shown on the Jumbotron. The two were acquired from New Jersey last Friday in separate deals for draft picks.

Toffoli was slotted on Winnipeg's second line on the right side of center Sean Monahan and left wing Iafallo. Miller was paired with defenseman Dylan Samberg.

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Winnipeg led 1-0 after the first period and 2-0 following the second. The Jets were outshooting the visitors 7-1 after the first five minutes and it was 12-5 when the opening period ended.

Pionk scored his fifth goal of the season at 10:05 after taking a cross-ice pass from Mason Appleton as he rushed the net.

After Winnipeg's Nikolaj Ehlers and Cole Perfetti hit the posts early in the second, Iafallo made it 2-0 at 8:16. Defenseman Josh Morrissey was skating across the ice inside the blue line, but suddenly turned and fired the puck at the net and it glanced off Iafallo past Lindgren.

Connor scored his team-leading 27th goal of the season after redirecting a pass from Mark Scheifele at the 10-minute mark of the third period.

The Jets played without forward Gabe Vilardi (upper body injury) for a sixth straight game.

T.J. Oshie returned for the Capitals after being taken off the injured-reserve list following a seven-game absence (upper-body injury).

UP NEXT

Capitals: At Edmonton on Wednesday night in the second of a five-game trip.

Jets: Host Nashville on Wednesday night in the middle game of a three-game homestand.

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