WINNIPEG -- The Winnipeg Jets returned to game action on Wednesday night for the first time in more than four months against the Vancouver Canucks.
This was the team's one and only tune-up game ahead of the playoffs and their first game in the bubble.
Vezina Trophy nominee Connor Hellebuyck was put to the test early in the game. Neal Pionk with one of his two early giveaways led to a great chance for Christopher Tanev -- but Hellebuyck shut the door.
Later in the game, the physicality picked up: Jets’ defenceman Nathan Beaulieu delivered a huge hit on Zack MacEwan, a playoff heavy hit.
This sparked the Jets too, before the end of the first period, Tucker Poolman's point shot beat a screened Jacob Backstrom to give the Jets a 1-0 lead at the break.
Jumping ahead to the second period, Jets with a two-on-one, Patrik Laine's shot is stopped, but Nikolaj Ehlers buried the rebound to put the Jets up 2-0. He's yet to score a playoff goal in 21 appearances.
Less than a minute and a half later, Dmitri Kulikov took a beautiful feed from Jack Roslovic and beat Jacob Markstrom, putting the Jets up 3-0.
In the third period, a tense moment for the Jets, Ehlers appeared to have injured himself on a rather harmless looking play. He left the bench shortly after and did not return.
Hellebuyck though, played great, stopping 37 of 38 shots.
Blake Wheeler added an empty netter and the Jets picked up where they left off after a four-month break, winning their only exhibition game 4-1 ahead of their qualifying series opener on Saturday.
