Big win in Big D pushes Winnipeg Jets to brink of top seed in Western Conference
Connor scores twice, Hellebuyck earns 8th shutout of the season in showdown with Stars
Connor Hellebuyck stopped 24 shots for his single-season franchise record 45th win and NHL-leading eighth shutout, and the Winnipeg Jets moved closer to the top seed in the Western Conference with a 4-0 win over the second-place Dallas Stars on Thursday night.
Kyle Connor scored twice in the third period to get to 40 goals for the Jets, who are 54-21-4 for 112 points, and need only one more point over their final three games to be the No. 1 seed for the first time. Nino Niederreiter and Morgan Barron also scored.
Dallas (50-23-6, 106 points), which has three games remaining, is 0-2-2 its last four.
Hellebuyck had tied his own franchise record with his 44th win over St. Louis on Monday, and extended it with his 45th career shutout. He is in position to be the first goalie since Bob Froese for Philadelphia in 1986 to finish the season as the league leader in wins, goals-against average, save percentage and shutouts.
Takeaways
Jets: Winnipeg, first in the West every day since Jan. 14, extended its single-season franchise record with its 54th win. The Jets are 48-3-1 when scoring at least three goals.
Stars: Dallas was shut out for the first time this season. The Stars lost 6-5 in overtime at home to Vancouver on Tuesday, becoming the first team in NHL history to lose after having a three-goal lead in the final minute of regulation.
Key moment
Dallas opened the third period with 1:20 left on a power play, but Hellebuyck made a stick save on a point-blank shot by Roope Hintz to maintain Winnipeg's two-goal lead.
Key stat
The Jets improved to 29-0-3 when leading after the first period, and 40-0-1 when ahead after the second.
Up next
Winnipeg plays its final regular-season road game at Chicago on Saturday, the same day the Stars have their home finale against Utah.