Connor Hellebuyck nets shutout as Jets rout Wild 5-0

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WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Connor Hellebuyck made 19 saves for his NHL-leading fourth shutout of the season and 41st of his career to lead the Winnipeg Jets to a 5-0 victory Saturday night over the Minnesota Wild, who have lost four in a row.

Cole Perfetti had a goal and two assists and Nikolaj Ehlers and Neal Pionk each scored power-play goals. Morgan Barron and Vladislav Namestnikov also scored for the Jets.

Jesper Wallstedt stopped 19 shots for Minnesota, which is 1-5-0 in its last six games.

Ehlers scored his 10th goal of the season 6 seconds after Minnesota took its first penalty at 6:45 of the first period.

Jets: Winnipeg’s league-best power play struck for a fourth consecutive game with Ehler’s first-period goal. Pionk’s marker with the man advantage came in the second. The Jets power play has gone 11 for 28 in the past seven games.

Wild: Leading-scorer Kirill Kaprizov was in a feisty mood, but it didn’t translate into any goals. He took two penalties and had three shots on goal, but his four-game point streak (four goals, two assists) was halted.

Wallstedt put Minnesota on the penalty kill when he batted the puck in the air and it went over the glass for a delay-of-game call. Winnipeg needed 14 seconds for Pionk’s one-timer to blast by the goalie for a 3-0 lead at 5:19 of the second period.

Winnipeg was 2 for 5 on the power play. Minnesota was 0 for 4 and only had a total of five shots during the man advantage.

The Wild host the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday, while the Jets visit the Toronto Maple Leafs the same night.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl