Hellebuyck makes 23 saves, Jets blank Capitals

WINNIPEG -- Connor Hellebuyck made 23 saves for his fourth shutout of the season, and the Winnipeg Jets defeated the Washington Capitals 3-0 at Canada Life Centre on Monday.

Neal Pionk, Alex Iafallo and Kyle Connor scored for the Jets (41-18-5), who have won two of three and 11 of 15.

“Give the guys credit,” Winnipeg coach Rick Bowness said. “They weren’t very happy with our game in Vancouver (a 5-0 loss to the Canucks on Saturday). They knew they had to bounce back, and they did. It was a solid team effort tonight. That’s what it takes.”

Charlie Lindgren made 26 saves for the Capitals (30-24-9), who were 7-2-1 in their previous 10 games.

"They had the puck for 75 percent of the game,” Washington coach Spencer Carbery said. “That makes it difficult to create any offense, and when we did, not nearly a good enough job getting to the interior. Zero traffic on Hellebuyck, so anything that we did generate scoring chance-wise he saw it clear. Obviously, everybody knows if he sees a shot he’s going to stop it, so it’s not a recipe for success against this team.

“Just right from the start. … When I was standing there watching, it was just bigger, faster, stronger. Every facet, they just were. So, you’ve got to tip your cap, that’s a really good team that just got better with [Tyler] Toffoli and [Sean] Monahan and those guys. It just felt like they were bigger, stronger on pucks, and they were just way quicker than us everywhere.”

Pionk gave the Jets a 1-0 lead at 10:05 of the first period. He took a cross-ice pass from Mason Appleton, held off Max Pacioretty with his body, and scored with a wrist shot from the edge of the circle.

“We've got a deep team,” Monahan said. “Guys can play anywhere, fill in obviously at different times, so I think that's a real good problem to have.”

Iafallo pushed it to 2-0 at 8:16 of the second period, tipping Josh Morrissey’s point shot in front.

“We were pretty composed and didn’t let the emotions get the best of us,” Connor said. “(We) stayed calm. You know, we gave up a scoring chance right off the start and we just stuck with it. Even when we had turnovers, we were supporting each other, kind of focusing on the next shift.”

Connor extended it to 3-0 when he converted on a 2-on-1 rush with Mark Scheifele at 10:00 of the third period.

“I think we were just a little slow supporting each other, not communicating as much,” Capitals forward T.J. Oshie said. “And when you play a team like Winnipeg, they pinch on everything. They’re ultra-aggressive on the forecheck. They’re aggressive in zone. When you don’t have that communication and that close support, it’s tough to make plays and they outnumber you. They’ve got pretty good team speed that once they do turn the puck over there, they’re coming back to our end pretty quick.”

Toffoli was plus-2 with three shots on goal in 15:15 of ice time in his Jets debut after being acquired from the New Jersey Devils on March 8. Defenseman Colin Miller, who was acquired from the Devils in a separate trade, had one shot on goal in 13:48 in his Winnipeg debut.

“They fit in great, and it’s only going to get better as they adjust and get more comfortable in the systems,” Jets captain Adam Lowry said. “[Toffoli] had some really great looks. Their line (with Iafallo and Monahan) generated some good chances, they scored a big goal for us. You can see why [Toffoli] is such a good goal-scorer in this league. His release is unbelievable, he’s such a smart player and goes to such good areas. Colin did a great job of getting pucks through, and in the D-zone he moved the puck through efficiently. As he develops chemistry with [defense partner Dylan Samberg], that’s only going to continue. Learning a new system, coming in it can be a bit of a whirlwind. All things considered, they both did a great job.”

NOTES: Washington has been shut out six times this season. … Capitals forward Tom Wilson did not play and is day to day with an upper-body injury. … Oshie had two hits and one shot in 16:06 in his return after missing seven games with an upper-body injury. … Scheifele has 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in his past nine games.