Hellebuyck earns fourth shutout as Jets blank Canucks

"It's always nice to score. It was a great way to open up the game, and I think that got us going. It was a great play from our line, and it was great to finish," said Laine.
"It's going to be like this for the next couple months. But I think everyone in this locker room is comfortable with that kind of game. That's the reason we're winning these games. We're a tight defensive team. We just have to score with those few chances that we get."
Laine's goal came 11:45 into the first period, off a Blake Wheeler pass from below the goal line. The pass, made possible from some quick stops and starts from Wheeler to shed the check of Bo Horvat, led to Wheeler's 40th assist of the season.

The trio of Laine, Wheeler, and Kyle Connor were buzzing all night, combining for eight shots on goal.
"Today was a good game for us. We started off doing pretty good, then we hit the Chicago game, and I didn't really like the last few games," said Wheeler. "We were kind of just chipping pucks out, and chipping pucks in, and not doing anything - just kind of eating minutes off the clock. I think the three of us are capable of more than that.
"I think it was a good game for us tonight. I thought Kyle and Patty really skated well tonight."

The Jets are now 9-1-7 in one-goal games, and improve to 22-0-1 when leading after 40 minutes. In fact, the third period was the team's best, in head coach Paul Maurice's opinion.
"I liked the third period in general. It was the place we generated the most, and the highest quality offence we had during the game," said Maurice. "Which was a good sign you're not sitting on this game and you're not trying to hold at one.
"We were good in the third. I liked our start, didn't like some of what we gave up in the second period on a lot of the stretches, but I liked the finish."
The win also improved Hellebuyck's personal record against the Pacific Division to 11-1-0 this season. But his 10th career shutout didn't come easy, as in the third period he was clipped by a stick near his right eye while trying to make a stop on a Brock Boeser wrist shot.
Earlier in that same period, Hellebuyck went "full Dominik Hasek" in the words of captain Wheeler.
With Markus Granlund chasing down a puck on a partial breakaway, Hellebuyck decided to leave his crease and attempt to poke check the puck away.

"I kind of hesitated for a second, which put me in a tougher spot," said Hellebuyck.
"But I realized the puck was still sliding pretty good, so I thought I should try out some defence for once. I came out, then I realized he was going to beat me to the puck. So I thought I'd sprawl out and hope for the best."
It worked out, and despite the Jets having to kill a 6-on-4 Vancouver power play for the last 90 seconds, the one-goal lead would be enough, vaulting the Jets to first place in the Central Division, one point clear of the Nashville Predators.
After this brief stop at home, the Jets now head back on the road for two games before the NHL All-Star weekend. The first stop is in San Jose against the Sharks.
"They're both playing well," said Maurice. "These will be heavy, but fast games. We have to keep it going."