Hellebuyck helps Jets blank Wild; Winnipeg takes commanding 3-1 series lead

Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves for his first career playoff shutout and Mark Scheifele scored twice as the Winnipeg Jets beat the Minnesota Wild 2-0 on Tuesday night to take a 3-1 series lead in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Hellebuyck, who was named a Vezina Trophy finalist earlier in the day, bounced back from getting pulled after giving up six goals in the Game 3 loss with a steady performance in net for Winnipeg. Hellebuyck had his 13th career shutout and seventh this season.

READ MORE: Winnipeg Jets win again for two game lead on Minnesota Wild

Scheifele scored with 28 seconds left in the first period and added an empty-net goal with 11 seconds left.

Kyle Connor, Josh Morrissey, Andrew Copp and Blake Wheeler had assists as the Jets took command of the series heading back to Winnipeg for Game 5.

Devan Dubnyk made 26 saves for Minnesota.

The Wild held a 30-28 advantage in shots and blocked 24 shots but was 0 for 2 on the power play.

Another tense affair between the two division rivals, who are just seven hours apart in distance, was heightened by the Jets’ crowd in attendance and a couple of non-calls against Winnipeg. Morrissey crosschecked Eric Staal in the head late in the first period but officials missed the altercation, inciting the Wild crowd.

A few minutes later, Winnipeg’s top line of Scheifele, Connor and Blake Wheeler went to work. Connor’s shot attempt was blocked and Minnesota cleared the zone, but Morrissey corralled a loose puck in the neutral zone and passed ahead. Wheeler and Scheifele hurried across the blue line, with Scheifele careful not to touch the puck before Wheeler could get across.

Countering quickly, Scheifele had a give-and-go with Connor and snapped a one-timer past Dubnyk with Wheeler driving the net for the game’s only goal

The Wild had a chance for an equalizer early in the second on a three-on-one but Hellebuyck slid across the crease and knocked down Matt Dumba’s shot with his glove.

Jets coach Paul Maurice said he had no doubts about Hellebuyck’s ability to bounce back a game after being pulled and Hellebuyck was up to the task on Tuesday, making several key stops.

Winnipeg was without defenceman Tyler Myers, who was injured in Game 3 after a collision with Minnesota’s Marcus Foligno. Rookie Tucker Poolman, who played 24 games in the regular season, took Myers spot next to Ben Chiarot. Mathieu Perrault missed his third game of the playoffs.