WINNIPEG – Vezina Trophy finalist Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves and the Winnipeg Jets scored four goals in the first period to eliminate the Minnesota Wild with a 5-0 victory in Game 5 of their best-of-seven series Friday.
It was Hellebuyck’s second shutout of the matchup and marked the first playoff-series victory in franchise history.
The white-clad crowd of 15,321 at Bell MTS Place stood and began cheering and waving white towels with just over two minutes remaining, chanting “Go Jets go.” A similar-size crowd was outside the arena watching the game on giant screens at a “whiteout” street party.
The Jets move on to the second round of the NHL Western Conference playoffs. They’ll face either Nashville or Colorado. Those teams were playing the later game Friday, with the Predators ahead 3-1 in that series.
Winnipeg’s previous post-season appearance was a sweep by Anaheim in 2015. The franchise had moved from Atlanta in 2011. The Thrashers started in 1999-2000, with their only playoff series ending in four straight losses to the New York Rangers in 2007.
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Humboldt Broncos player Matthieu Gomercic was in attendance for the game. He was given a standing ovation when introduced by the P.A. announcer and shown on the jumbotron.
The Jets attacked the Wild quickly, scoring four goals on their first 10 shots of the game.
Defenceman Jacob Trouba scored on Devan Dubnyk 31 seconds into the first. That was followed up by goals from Bryan Little, Brandon Tanev and Joe Armia by 11:58 of the opening frame.
Dubnyk was pulled after letting in the quartet of goals. He was replaced by Alex Stalock, who stopped 15 of the 16 shots he faced.
After a scoreless second period, Mark Scheifele notched his fourth goal of the series 32 seconds into the third with a one-timer on the power play. He added one assist. Dustin Byfuglien had a pair of helpers.
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The Wild were making their sixth straight appearance in the post-season. They only got as far as the second round in 2014 and ’15, when Chicago knocked them out both years.
The Jets beat Dubnyk in a number of ways.
Trouba scored on a shot from the circle and Little tipped in a Byfuglien point shot at 5:42.
Wild defenceman Jonas Brodin couldn’t handle the puck and Tanev got it away from him and scored unassisted from the high slot at 11:10. Just 48 seconds later, Armia tipped in another Byfuglien shot from the point.
Winnipeg played some tight defence without top-pairing defenceman Josh Morrissey, who was suspended Wednesday for one-game for a cross-check on Wild centre Eric Staal in Game 4.
The Jets also had some injury surprises before the game.
Veteran defenceman Tyler Myers took the morning skate and was back in the lineup after suffering a lower-body injury in Game 3.
However, forward Nikolaj Ehlers and backup goalie Steve Mason were scratched. Ehlers didn’t take part in the optional morning skate Friday, but had practised Thursday.
Mason hurt himself while in net at the Friday skate. Michael Hutchinson was called up from the AHL Manitoba Moose to replace him on the bench.
The Jets had finished second in the league in the regular season with 114 points (52-20-10), setting franchise records for wins and points.
The victory was also notable because the original Jets last delivered a playoff-series win for the city 31 years ago. That franchise moved in 1996 and became the Phoenix Coyotes.
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