WINNIPEG — They call him “Vezina-Buyck” in Winnipeg.

Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyckwho won his second Vezina Trophy last season, made 35 saves in his third NHL shutout this season as the Jets blanked the visitors. Colorado Avalanche 1-0 Thursday.

Hellebuyck recorded the 40th shutout of his career in front of 12,918 fans at the Canada Life Centre.

“The number 40 feels really good,” said the goalkeeper. “It’s one of those milestones. Another (milestone) is just 300 wins. I’m really looking forward to it this season.

“I hope I can achieve it, but this one feels really good.”

It was also the first time Hellebuyck recorded back-to-back shutouts in the NHL following a 21-save performance in Tuesday’s 3-0 win over Utah.

The 31-year-old believes he could have had two in a row in college when he played for the University of Massachusetts.

“I had a good number of shutouts in college,” said Hellebuyck, who earned his 10th win in 11 starts this season.

“I’ve been waiting for an opportunity like this. Just a perfect storm.”

Hellebuyck’s work Thursday, including outstanding saves in the third period as Colorado outshot Winnipeg 17-4.

“Once you get in a rhythm, it clicks and you see the play, and you kind of get a head start,” Hellebuyck said. “The more shots you get, the more you can get ahead of this game.

“That’s why I really like playing. Once you find your rhythm, you can just maintain it. But then all you have to strive for is maintenance and making sure you don’t overdo it between matches.

It was the first meeting between the two NHL clubs since Colorado eliminated Winnipeg in the first round of last season’s playoffs, four games to one.

“It’s always good to beat a divisional opponent, especially if they beat us last year,” said Gabe Vilardi, who scored the game’s only goal.

He credited Hellebuyck for the victory, especially when Colorado had momentum.

“There’s no sugar, it wasn’t our best game,” Vilardi said. “(Hellebuyck) won that game for us. It’s that simple. I thought we had a good first half and then after that we kind of lost the lead somewhere in the middle of the second.

“We have the best goalkeeper in the world, but we can’t play like that and expect to win a lot of games.”

Jets coach Scott Arniel downplayed the revenge factor of last season’s playoff loss but felt Hellebuyck made a statement.

“For him to come out and play the way he played, which really frustrated them, he made some great saves and fantastic saves,” he said. “But we weren’t coming into this game thinking about last year’s comeback, were we. It was another opponent here in November, in a very busy schedule.

But Avalanche coach Jared Bednar believes the Jets were motivated by revenge.

“There’s a bit of history,” he says. “I’m sure those guys were frustrated with last year’s elimination, and it was a big game for them, a big game for us. It really felt like (a playoff game).

Vilardi and Marc Scheifelewho assisted on the goal, extended their point streak to six games.

Hellebuyck admired Vilardi’s goal after just 66 seconds of play.

“I think it all started on a turnover on our end,” the goalie said. “Mark has just incredible vision and Gabe has incredible hands, so it was just a great pass and a great finish.”

NOTES – The Jets saluted massage therapist Al Pritchard, a cancer survivor, who celebrated his 1,000th game with the team… Both Colorado players Nathan Mackinnon And Cale Makar saw a streak of 13 consecutive games with at least one point stopped.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published November 7, 2024.