WINNIPEG 鈥� Blake Wheeler wasn鈥檛 going to make too big of a deal about the Winnipeg Jets鈥� 5-0 victory over the reigning Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday
Wheeler, who recorded a hat trick and added an assist, was asked if it was a statement game for the Jets (14-6-1).
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if I鈥檇 go that far,鈥� replied Wheeler, who recorded his fourth career hat trick and first since a four-goal outing in a 5-2 win over Columbus on March 3, 2019.
鈥淲e鈥檝e liked the way we鈥檝e played. A little sluggish in the first period coming off the road, but kind of to be expected. We just want to continue to build our game and to perform obviously at home in front of our fans. Tonight was a good step in that direction.鈥�
Connor Hellebuyck made 40 saves in his third shutout this season and 31st of his NHL career. The victory kicked off a four-game homestand at Canada Life Centre, where the Jets are 8-2-0 to start the season.
Mark Scheifele collected a goal and two assists and Josh Morrissey scored once and had an assist. Cole Perfetti contributed a trio of helpers.
鈥淚 think so,鈥� Hellebuyck said when asked if it was the team鈥檚 most complete game this season. 鈥淲ell, it鈥檚 hard to compare all of them.
鈥淚 thought we played a really good game. The details were right. I think we improved throughout the game and we really stuck to our game and we were patient. So, I mean, a lot of the things we wanted to do, we did.鈥�
Alexandar Georgiev stopped 18 shots for Colorado (12-7-1), which began a four-game road trip. It was the second time this season the Avalanche have been shut out.
鈥淲e had some hard-working guys, but when you鈥檙e a short, depleted roster you can鈥檛 have any passengers and we just had too many of them tonight,鈥� Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said.
Winnipeg led 1-0 after the first period and 3-0 following the second.
Wheeler opened the game鈥檚 scoring at 9:18 of the first, beating Georgiev stick side 20 seconds into a power play.
Scheifele appeared to score at 2:05 of the second period, but Colorado made a successful coach鈥檚 challenge for goaltender interference by Wheeler and the goal was nixed.
Less than two minutes later, Morrissey blasted a point shot through traffic to make it 2-0 at 3:46.
Wheeler notched his sixth goal of the season at 13:07, taking advantage of a pass from Perfetti that put Georgiev out of position.
Colorado was outshooting the Jets 25-14 after the middle period.
鈥淲e obviously didn鈥檛 get enough traffic (to the front of the net),鈥� Avalanche forward Andrew Cogliano said. 鈥淪ome pucks were laying there and we weren鈥檛 doing a good enough job getting there enough.鈥�
Scheifele recorded his 12th goal of the season after a quick pass across the front of the crease from Kyle Connor at 1:22 of the third.
Wheeler notched his third goal with 3:51 remaining when Perfetti sent him a backhand pass to the high slot.
鈥淣o, it鈥檚 not just another game,鈥� Jets coach Rick Bowness replied to a reporter鈥檚 question. 鈥淚 think the message we鈥檙e trying to send here is make them worry about us. They鈥檙e the defending Stanley Cup Champions, they鈥檙e a great hockey team.
鈥淲e鈥檙e starting to realize that when we play the right way, and we play the way we鈥檙e supposed to play, and play together, we鈥檙e a very good hockey club. The message is more about us and the way we want to play.鈥�
JOSH 鈥楴ORRISSEY鈥�
Morrissey, who鈥檚 been jokingly called Josh 'Norrissey' by his teammates in reference to the Norris Trophy won by the league鈥檚 top defenceman, extended his point streak to five games with four goals and five assists during that span. He leads the Jets in scoring with 25 points in 21 games (five goals, 20 assists) and hasn鈥檛 gone more than one game this season without a point.
He was named the NHL鈥檚 second star of the week after firing in consecutive overtime winners last week and posting seven points (three goals, four assists) in four games.
END OF SOME STREAKS
Colorado forward Artturi Lehkonen didn鈥檛 add to his career-high, nine-game point streak. He had four goals and seven assists during the run, which was the longest point streak on the team this season.聽
The Avalanche, the league鈥檚 top power-play team heading into the contest, went 0-for-3 with the man advantage. They also ended a run of eight straight games with a power-play marker.
UP NEXT
Jets: Host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday.聽
Avalanche: Travel to play the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 29, 2022.
Judy Owen, The Canadian Press
