Blackhawks lose another goalie, blown out by Jets
WINNIPEG, Manitoba - Connor Hellebuyck stopped 30 shots for his second shutout of the season and 30th of his career as the Winnipeg Jets beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-0 on Saturday.
Josh Morrissey and Pierre-Luc Dubois each had a goal and an assist, and Nate Schmidt and Adam Lowry also scored to help Winnipeg improved to 5-0-1 in its last six games.
"Our details have been right," Hellebuyck said. "We're getting everyone's A game right now. We've got a lot of character in this room and it's starting to show. We care about winning and we're showing it."
All of the Jets' scoring came on special teams, with three on the power play and Lowry getting his second short-handed tally of the season.
"Obviously, special teams were huge," Morrissey said. "And (Hellebuyck) in net was fantastic. I think the things we're trying to see out of our team are becoming more and more consistent. Hopefully, we can keep that going."
Arvid Soderblom started in goal for Chicago and stopped 21 of the 24 shots he faced through two periods. Dylan Wells came on to begin the third and had 12 saves in his NHL debut.
"I don't know (Soderblom's) status," Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson said. "I just know the trainer came after the second period and said he wasn't feeling good, and Wells was here. He stood really strong for us in the third period. It's definitely concerning with all of the injuries at this point. Hopefully, he's not too bad."
Chicago has already lost goalies Petre Mzrak and Alex Stalock to injuries.
"(Wells) looked confident standing in the crease there, so it was a good start for him," Richardson said. "Unfortunately, it wasn't a good start or finish for us."
Despite the loss, Wells was thrilled to have played in his first game.
"It feels really good," Wells said. "It's been a goal of mine since I was a little kid, to play in the NHL."
Morrisey got Winnipeg on the scoreboard midway through the second period. With Chicago's Jujhar Khaira off for interference, Morrissey's slap shot from the point beat a screened Soderblom. It was Morrissey's first goal of the season.
Lowry made it 2-0 when he beat a Chicago defenseman to the puck outside the blue line, raced down the ice and blasted a shot over Soderblom's right shoulder with 6:27 left in the period.
"Honestly, coming down that side, I didn't know what I was going to do," Lowry said. "I think I just tried to get it off my stick as quick as I could. ... It's a big momentum swing. I was happy to see that one go in."
Dubois added to that lead nearly 4 1/2 minutes later, beating Soderblom with a wrist shot off of a smart pass from Kyle Connor.
Winnipeg made it 4-0 with its third power-play goal of the game 4:59 into the third. Schmidt took a perfect pass from Cole Perfetti and fired it past Wells.
SNAPPED
Chicago forward Jonathan Toews had a seven-game points streak snapped. His seven goals lead the team and was ninth in the NHL heading into the day.