Jets blank Blues to split weekend home-and-home set

Connor Hellebuyck made 24 saves for his second shut out of the season, while Adam Lowry, Patrik Laine, and Mark Scheifele rounded out the offence for the Jets, who improved to 19-10-5 with the win.
"It was great to have guys saying the right things before the game. Not down on the fact we didn't get results last night, but motivated and a little pissed off that we didn't get them last night," said Wheeler. "Credit goes to every guy for staying in the fight, and saying the right things, staying engaged, and finally broke through there and were able to take control of the game in the second period."
After a scoreless first period that saw the Jets out shoot St. Louis 12-9, the Jets' persistence finally paid off in the second.
Adam Lowry opened the scoring with his fifth of the season, but it was the forecheck of Brandon Tanev, who took a big hit behind the net from Colton Parayko and Joel Edmundson for his efforts, that started the play. Andrew Copp picked up the loose puck below the goal line, and slid a feed to Lowry at the top of the crease for his fifth goal of the season.

"That line had a major impact on what the other lines were able to do," said head coach Paul Maurice. "They're important to us. Especially at home, they've been great. They've kept good players off the board, and found also every once in a while, a way to generate offence."
Then with Alex Pietrangelo in the box for cross-checking, the Jets power play would increase the lead. Laine took a feed from Mathieu Perreault at the left wing face off dot, and ripped a wrist shot short side on Jake Allen, just under his blocker.
It was Laine's team-leading 16th of the season, and tenth on the power play, becoming the first player in the NHL to reach that mark this season.
The Jets would increase the lead to 3-0 with 8:06 left in the third, when Mark Scheifele drove to the net and redirected a Morrissey pass from the left wing side past Allen for his 15th of the season.
"There wasn't a whole lot of space out there in either game. They were games where a little mistake, either way, teams are going to capitalize. We were really talking about it like we were trying to play a playoff style game. Playing the right way, managing the game, and when you get your chances, trying to bury. That was a good game for us, and a big bounce back."

Morrissey would pot one of his own less than two minutes later. After sending a bank pass from the point down low to Wheeler, Morrissey found a soft spot in the Blues defence at the top of the circle. Wheeler hit the defenceman with a return pass in the high slot, and Morrissey wired it over Allen's glove to make it 4-0.
"He was awesome. He's grooming himself into being one of those 'number one' type of defenceman. How well he plays defensively is just tremendous," said Wheeler.
"The level of defence he can play, he's gone against the best players in the world and taken them out of games sometimes."
The Jets now head out on the road for three games, beginning Tuesday night in Nashville against the Predators.
That match-up on Tuesday closes out a four-game stretch against the Central Division.
"I think we have a good understanding, maybe better than people around us, that this is going to be real tight, and right down to the wire. This division is just too good," said Maurice.
"I think all of the next five spots are going to be Central Division teams. It's going to be a real fight for that spot, and it's not going away. This is going to go right to April."