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Connor Hellebuyck is one of the best goalies in the National Hockey League — there’s no doubt about that. But the veteran has struggled mightily for the Winnipeg Jets in the postseason, and that continued in Sunday afternoon’s 5-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche in Game 4 of their Western Conference first-round series.
The Avalanche put the Jets on the brink of elimination in front of the raucous crowd at Ball Arena, scoring early and never relinquishing the lead in the victory.
Jets coach Rick Bowness pulled Hellebuyck after he allowed four goals on 30 shots — good for a 6.00 goals-against average and .867 save percentage — with Laurent Brossoit stopping all four pucks thrown his way in the final frame.
“[To] give him a break,” Bowness said when asked why he pulled the superstar goaltender, according to ESPN’s Ryan S. Clark. “It was just too much. … He was having to make save after save. Just giving him a break. It’s not on him whatsoever. It’s on the players in front of him.”
“The problems are self-inflicted,” the bench boss added. “Want to take penalties? Want to play a three-quarter ice game? You’re playing right into their hands.”
Although it’s tough to pin these losses on the goalie — the Avalanche had the best regular-season offense and have been looking potent so far in Round 1 — Hellebuyck’s postseason play has started to become a concerning trend.
Connor Hellebuyck has not been the answer in the postseason
During the 2023-24 regular-season, Hellebuyck was terrific, and he’s got a great chance to win the Vezina Trophy as the league’s best goaltender because of it. The 30-year-old led the Jets to a fantastic 37-19-4 record, adding a sparkling 2.39 goals-against average and .921 save percentage in the process.
He was a big reason why Winnipeg finished second in the Central Division, their 52 wins and 110 points a sign that just getting into the postseason was just the beginning for this squad.
But it’s been a completely different story in Round 1; Hellebuyck has a ghastly 5.05 GAA and .870 save percentage after allowing 19 goals in just four games. He faced more than 30 shots and allowed more than four goals for the fourth straight game in the series, per Clark, which is likely why he was no longer between the pipes to start the third period on Sunday.
Still, his teammates have faith that he can turn it around, which is exactly what needs to happen else the Jets go quietly in Round 1 yet again.
“I don’t think those goals are his fault,” said Mark Scheifele, who has two goals and five points in the series. “He’s our backbone, he’s our heart and soul.”
“It’s completely different,” the star forward added when asked if these playoffs are similar to last year’s early exit, per Clark. “Completely different teams on both sides of the coin. We had a good regular season against them. They made adjustments and we haven’t. We’ve got to bring a different game come Tuesday.”
The Jets will need their best game of the series — and a bounce-back performance from Connor Hellebuyck — if they hope to send the series back to Denver for Game 6.
More must-reads:
- Avalanche force Game 6 with big third period vs. Stars
- Oilers use late heroics to tie Canucks at two games each
- The 'Super Bowl starting QBs' quiz
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