Jets want repeat of first win vs. Blues
Goalie Hellebuyck has been up and down this season
WINNIPEG Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck is looking to repeat his opening night performance when Winnipeg plays host to the St. Louis Blues on Monday night.
Hellebuyck made 41 saves in the Jets’ 5-1 season-opening victory over the Blues, but he’s been uneven between the pipes since then.
He has given up five goals on two occasions in his past five starts, but he also had two games where he allowed only one goal, including his last start against the Vancouver Canucks.
Blues starting netminder Jake Allen, the recipient of some Bronx cheers from his hometown fans in that opener after the Jets pulled away with a dominant third period, is coming off a 22-save performance in a 4-1 victory over the Maple Leafs in Toronto on Saturday night.
Here are five things to watch for when the Central Division rivals face off:
1.
Double trouble
The Jets power play has been a valuable weapon in the early stages of the season and it’s been downright lethal during this homestand. The Jets have a goal in each of the four games, going 5-for-10, which is a factor as the Jets have gone 3-0-1. The bigger development is that the Jets aren’t just relying on the first power-play unit, they’ve got two groups generating quality scoring chances right now.
2.
Offence from defence
The Jets have a talented back end and they had a breakout game on Saturday afternoon against the Arizona Coyotes. With a goal and an assist from Josh Morrissey and
Tyler Myers and a season-high three assists from Jacob Trouba, the Jets got some valuable secondary scoring from the folks on the blue-line.
3.
No minor development Although the Jets penalty killing units have been strong, the team continues to take too many penalties — especially stick infractions in the offensive zone. Discipline is an area where the Jets can improve by making a simple adjustment. The Jets have already racked up 133 minutes in penalties and their average of 16.6 penalty minutes per game is the most in the NHL.
4.
Operation shutdown
Blues head coach Mike Yeo put together Joel Edmundson and Robert Bortuzzo on a defensive pairing, with the hopes of finding a physical, yet mobile, shutdown group. In their first game together, Edmundson and Bortuzzo kept Toronto’s Auston Matthews line off the board on Saturday. They’ll face another stiff test if asked to go up against Mark Scheifele and the Jets’ top line.
5.
Perron on fire
In his third tour of duty with the Blues, winger David Perron is back in the groove. During his past five games, Perron has four goals and seven points — including a hattrick against the Calgary Flames. Perron has provided the expected boost to the power play, chipping in three goals and four points in seven games. He has seven goals and 14 points in 21 career games against the Jets.