Connor Hellebuyck, Jets get crucial win vs. NHL-best Avs

Connor Hellebuyck made 28 saves as the Winnipeg Jets defeated the visiting Colorado Avalanche 3-1 on Saturday afternoon.

Kyle Connor picked up a goal and an assist, while Alex Iafallo and Cole Perfetti also scored for Winnipeg. Mark Scheifele added two assists as the Jets moved within five points of the second and final wild card in the Western Conference.

Martin Necas got Colorado’s lone goal. Mackenzie Blackwood made 15 stops for Colorado, which holds the best record in the NHL.

In the first period, neither team was able to find the back of the net, but the Avalanche held an 8-5 edge on shots.

The Jets opened the scoring 2:05 into the middle frame when, on the rush, Scheifele found a streaking Connor in the slot, who drove a wrist shot into the net to give Winnipeg a 1-0 lead. The goal marked Connor’s 30th of the season and Scheifele’s 50th assist.

Winnipeg extended its lead to 2-0 with 8:08 remaining in the second when Iafallo took a one-timer off the chest from Scheifele, who fired the puck on net from high in the zone, and was able to spin around and tuck the puck home past Blackwood.

Colorado’s best chance to get on the board up that point came from Brock Nelson, who missed a wide-open net when he slid the puck across the crease and wide with 10 seconds left in the second period.

That miss allowed Winnipeg to maintain its 2-0 advantage after 40 minutes. Colorado held a 16-12 edge in shots heading into the third period.

Hellebuyck’s bid for his first shutout of the season ended with 1:16 left in regulation when Necas pulled in a long pass from Nathan MacKinnon across the zone and wired it past the Jets netminder to cut the deficit to 2-1.

The hope for a comeback didn’t last long, however, as MacKinnon lost the puck near the blue line. Cole Perfetti corralled it and fired a long shot into the empty net 34 seconds later, with 42 seconds remaining, to seal the 3-1 final.