Hellebuyck, early goals help Jets beat Coyotes 2-1
Josh Morrissey was glad Connor Hellebuyck was the last line of defence for the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday.
Hellebuyck made 29 saves to backstop Winnipeg to a much-needed 2-1 victory over the Arizona Coyotes.
The veteran netminder made a huge save early in the second period that drew loud cheers from 13,216 fans at Canada Life Centre.
After Nick Schmaltz's shot hit the post, the puck was in play out front. Michael Kesselring then sent a backhand shot straight at the net but Hellebuyck, from the side of the crease, reached his stick out along the ice and redirected the puck away.
"Just another to add to his highlight reel, I guess," said Morrissey, the team's star blueliner. "He's been incredible for us, certainly all year and for a long time.
"When they really had their push in the second, he made some massive saves and gave us a chance to regroup in the intermission and to come out in the third and play a lot better."
Hellebuyck recorded his 31st victory in his 55th start of the season.
Nikolaj Ehlers and Adam Lowry scored for the Jets (40-29-3), who have only won two of their past five games.
The loss snapped Arizona's four-game win streak and eight-game point streak (6-1-2).
Barrett Hayton scored for the Coyotes (27-33-11) and Karel Vejmelka stopped 23 shots.
"It's a really good stretch of hockey for us," Hayton said. "Coming out of the (trade) deadline, we really wanted to focus on our attitude and being able to turn the page quick there.
"The first game after the deadline we weren't good at all and we learned from that quick and we went on that stretch. Obviously, our group is really happy with that but we want to keep it rolling."
Winnipeg led 2-0 after the first period and 2-1 following the second.
Ehlers gave the Jets a rare first goal when he stole the puck after a bad Arizona pass attempt, skated in alone on Vejmelka and slapped in his own rebound at 4:17 of the first period.
Winnipeg went into the contest giving up the first goal in five straight games and nine of their previous 10.
Lowry notched a short-handed goal on a two-on-one with Morgan Barron at 11:33.
The Jets outshot the visitors 10-7 in the opening period.
"I thought we played good in the first period, we just made mistakes with execution," Coyotes coach Andre Tourigny said. "We gave up two breakaways and a two-on-one on an execution mistake. So execution, that can happen (on) both sides."
Hayton scored his 15th goal of the season off a rebound at 11:46 to make it 2-1. The goal extended his point streak to eight games (five goals, eight assists).
Winnipeg was outshot 18-3 in the second period and didn't have a shot on goal for the final 16 minutes, 14 seconds of the frame.
"It's funny. The second period the bench, it got quiet. They could see what was going on," Jets coach Rick Bowness said.
"The third period, there was a lot of energy on the bench and that took itself out on the ice. We had everyone going. The bench was really energized in the third, they knew what was at stake, they knew we had to find a way to win this game."
The Jets had a pair of power plays close together early in the third, including a four-minute man advantage when Arizona's Liam O'Brien received a double minor for high-sticking Winnipeg forward Vladislav Namestnikov in the face, but they couldn't extend their lead.
Winnipeg ended the third period on the power play and finished 0-for-6. Arizona was 0-for-3.
KELLER KEEPS COOKING
Coyotes leading-scorer Clayton Keller extended his point streak to nine games with an assist on Hayton's goal. He has seven goals and 10 assists during the run, and 76 points in 71 games.
Keller also tied Colorado forward Nathan MacKinnon for the second-most points since the NHL all-star break. They both have 35 points during that span. The Avalanche were idle Tuesday. Edmonton star Connor McDavid has racked up the most points (44) since the break. The Oilers also didn't play Tuesday.
MISSING OFFENCE
Winnipeg leading-scorer Kyle Connor hasn't scored a goal in 11 consecutive games.
Blake Wheeler has no goals in his past 18 games and top goal-scorer Mark Scheifele only has two assists in his past six outings.
UP NEXT
Jets: Embark on a three-game road trip, starting Thursday against the Anaheim Ducks.
Coyotes: Finish back-to-back games in Edmonton Wednesday against the Oilers.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 21, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
Police tangle with students in Texas and California as wave of campus protest against Gaza war grows
Police tangled with student demonstrators in Texas and California while new encampments sprouted Wednesday at Harvard and other colleges as school leaders sought ways to defuse a growing wave of pro-Palestinian protests.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'