Jets’ Scheifele & Hellebuyck Dominate in Win Over Rangers

The Jets’ top-line centre looked motivated, determined, and dominant as the Jets picked up one of their more impressive wins of the 2023-24 season. Arniel praised Scheifele in the post-game, stating: “This year he’s having such a great year at both ends of the rink, and without the puck as well.”

Scheifele hit the 20… 21… and 22-goal mark in this game… but Schefiele hitting 20 was the ninth consecutive time he has done so, making that a Jets/Thrashers franchise record. As for the 1.0 version of the Jets, Scheifele tied his hockey idol Dale Hawerchuk, with nine consecutive 20-goal seasons. The Jets’ first-ever draft pick upon return in 2011, who committed to Winnipeg long-term in the offseason, continues to drive them offensively from the top line and tonight was no different.

Scheifele missed last Wednesday’s game against the Nashville Predators with an illness, and the Jets struggled to generate any offence in a tough loss to the Preds. Since his return, the Jets have scored 16 goals in three games and Scheifele has been at the centre of it.

Connor Hellebuyck Outshines Igor Shesterkin With 40 Saves

Hellebuyck all but has the NHL’s Vezina Trophy, awarded to the best goaltender, wrapped up for the 2023-24 season. Facing an elite goaltender in Shesterkin on the road, Hellebuyck once again proved why he is the best goaltender in the league right now.

Hellebuyck made 40 saves on this night with a good chunk of those being grade-A chances. In his post-game, he detailed what is making him successful right now as the Vezina Trophy frontrunner: “It’s just another game, I’m getting hot at the right time and making sure I stay that way. My details are right, I’m working hard, and the guys are making life easy on me.”

Scheifele, who had his fair share of success on this night, said in the post-game that “(Hellebuyck) was fantastic. Right from the get-go, we kinda gave them some life, gave them a lot of two-on-ones, breakaways, we gave them some good chances and he made some big saves there, so that was huge.”

When the Jets top-line centre was asked about the confidence in the group, he once again praised his goaltender: “When you’ve got a goalie like Hellebuyck in the pipes, you’re pretty confident.” With Hellebuyck having one of the best seasons of his career, the sky is the limit for the Jets as they near the playoffs, and he proved tonight against a playoff opponent that he can hold up his end of the bargain in a big game.

Jets Won in a Playoff Atmosphere Against a Playoff Opponent

Coming into tonight’s game, the Jets were 3-8-0 against playoff opponents since Jan 1, 2024. It wasn’t just the losses, but how they were losing. A 5-0 loss to the Vancouver Canucks or a 4-1 loss to the Dallas Stars aided those narratives, but rest assured questions were starting to emerge on whether or not the Jets were legit contenders.

On this night, the Jets silenced that narrative, playing ‘Winnipeg Jets hockey’ as Bowness likes to say, and beating one of the premier teams in the NHL on the road. Hellebuyck said in the post-game that it was ‘just another game’, but he did acknowledge the atmosphere inside the building: “Anytime you come into a building like this one, and the crowd gets into it, it has a more energetic feel”

The Jets will continue their five-game road swing out east on Thursday, March 21, when Tyler Toffoli and Colin Miller will be taking on their former team, the New Jersey Devils. They will then close out the road-trip with back-to-back matinee games over the weekend against the New York Islanders and Washington Capitals, both teams who are fighting for their playoff lives in the Eastern Conference. Make no mistake, the Jets are one of the top contenders in the Western Conference, and tonight they proved it with the dominance of Scheifele and Hellebuyck.