Connor Hellebuyck made 24 saves to earn his NHL-best seventh shutout of the season, leading the Winnipeg Jets to a 4-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Friday night. Winnipeg reached the 50-win milestone with the win and reclaimed the league lead in points.
Alex Iafallo scored twice, Mark Scheifele contributed a goal and an assist, and David Gustafsson added a goal for the Jets, who improved to 59-19-4. The win pushed them one point ahead of the Eastern Conference-leading Washington Capitals in the overall standings.
The Jets came out firing, scoring twice in the first two minutes. Iafallo netted the opening goal 58 seconds into the game with a spinning backhand, followed 54 seconds later by Gustafsson, who buried a rebound in front.
Iafallo tallied again in the second period on the power play, and Scheifele capped the scoring with his 36th of the year, also in the second.
Game Takeaways
Devils: Jake Allen stopped 15 shots for New Jersey, which struggled to generate sustained pressure against a strong Jets defense.
Jets: Nick Ehlers extended his point streak to five games with an assist, and Hellebuyck set a new franchise record with his seventh shutout of the season.
Key Moment
The Jets’ lightning-fast start proved decisive. Iafallo’s opening goal at the 58-second mark set the tone, and Gustafsson’s quick follow-up just 54 seconds later gave Winnipeg a commanding early 2-0 lead.
Key Stat
Hellebuyck holds the franchise record for seven shutouts in a single season, solidifying his status as one of the league’s top goaltenders.
Up Next
The Devils head to Minnesota to take on the Wild on Saturday night. Winnipeg returns to action Sunday when they host the Vancouver Canucks.
