Next day takeaways: 4 thoughts as the Winnipeg Jets defeat the New Jersey Devils 4-0

With the Dallas Stars behind them in the standings, every point is crucial for the Winnipeg Jets to maintain the one seed in the Central Division. On Friday night inside Canada Life Centre, they picked up two crucial points, defeating the New Jersey Devils 4-0. 

Here are a few takeaways from the Jets picking up their 50th win of the season. 

Connor Hellebuyck picks up career-high seventh shutout

With a 24-save performance on Friday night, Connor Hellebuyck picked up his seventh shutout of the season. That is a new career-high for the 31-year-old goaltender, who looks primed to be, at minimum, a finalist for the Hart Trophy. 

The crowd inside Canada Life Centre was chanting “MVP! MVP! MVP!” at Hellebuyck all night long, and he shared his appreciation for that after the game.  

“That’s really cool,” Hellebuyck said. “They really believe in me and I’m really grateful to have them around and spend my career here. It means a lot.”

Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)

A big part of this shutout was the perfect 3/3 that the Jets went on the penalty kill, which Hellebuyck played a massive role in killing off. Hellebuyck, as he usually does, gave the credit for those crucial penalty kills to the players in front of him. 

“I think our details are right,” Hellebuyck said. “Our positioning was right, and we’re reading the game and jumping them when we had a chance. And it takes everyone, including me when I need to make a save. And when guys are tight and around me, and I can see pucks, things get a little bit easier.

With Leon Draisaitl having missed key time for the Edmonton Oilers as of late with an injury, the door is wide open for Connor Hellebuyck to not only contend for the Hart Trophy but to win it. On the top team in the NHL with incredible numbers, he has as good an argument as anyone. 

Alex Iafallo chips in with two goals

Alex Iafallo was recently promoted to the top line alongside Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele in the absence of Gabriel Vilardi, who is week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

He stepped up in a big way on this night, chipping in his 12th and 13th goals of the season, and bringing his consistent defensive play throughout the night, especially so on the penalty kill.

Iafallo, an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, has been on the fourth line for the majority of the season but is always the first player elevated in the event of an injury. It is games such as last night’s that are a good reminder of why Scott Arniel and the Jets’ coaching staff trust Iafallo in an elevated role. 

Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)

“Well, he’s been real good,” Arniel said of Iafallo’s impact on the top line. “There’s things that he has to do as that linemate. Getting to the net, look where he scored both his goals. I know one was on the power play but he was right beside the crease. The other night on JMO’s goal, he was driving the middle lane and getting some traffic on the goalie. He knows what to do. He does it whether he’s on the fourth line or does it on the first line. He’s a smart hockey player but he’s also competitive, he goes into the hard areas. And wins a lot of his puck battles.” 

Iafallo’s second of the game came on the power play, as he is not only filling in top-line duties for Vilardi but on the power play as well. The Jets’ top unit had been slipping as of late, but they were able to get on the board and extend their lead to 3-0 at the time. 

Mark Scheifele snaps nine-game goal drought

To make it 4-0, Mark Scheifele snapped a nine-game goal drought with his 36th of the season, taking a shot that bounced off the back wall and backhanding it into the net. 

The Jets’ top-line centre had racked up a barrage of chances over the past couple of games but was unable to score. 

Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)

The Jets’ top line accounted for three of the goals last night, which gives a glimmer of hope that life without Gabriel Vilardi on the top line, in the short term, may not be as bad as initially hoped. And as pointed out by Dave Minuk with the point 55 became the 2.0 All-Time points leader. 

The “Gus Bus” delivers in his first game back

David Gustafsson, or, the “Gus Bus”, returned to the lineup and scored his second goal of the season to give the Jets a 2-0 lead. 

His goal capped off a fantastic start for the Jets, who scored twice in the first 1:52 and sent Canada Life Centre into a frenzy. 

Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)

For Gus it’s great, obviously,” Arniel said. “He’s had limited games this year, but every time he’s come in he’s been effective, and he’s done all the right things. And tonight you see him get rewarded, that’s great. His teammates were pretty excited. Glad to see that one.”

Gustafsson was inserted into the lineup as Rasmus Kupari suffered a setback with his injury and was listed as day-to-day by Scott Arniel at Friday’s morning skate. 

Up next

The Winnipeg Jets will close out their four-game homestand on Sunday afternoon when they welcome the Vancouver Canucks to town, a team that the Jets lost to by a score of 6-2 just over a week ago. 

They will then hit the road for a three-game road trip, starting against the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night. 

Stay tuned to Illegalcurve.com for the latest Jets and Moose news down the stretch.