By Canadian Press

Jets’ goaltender Connor Hellebuyck stellar in 4-1 win over Oilers in Game 1

May 19, 2021 | 10:15 PM

EDMONTON — Connor Helleybuyck made 32 saves for the Winnipeg Jets in a 4-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday to open their first-round playoff series.

Dominic Toninato and Tucker Poolman scored goals and both Kyle Connor and Blake Wheeler added empty-netters for Winnipeg in its first playoff meeting with Edmonton since 1990 in their Smythe Division days.

Hellebuyck was a standout on his 28th birthday. Last season’s Vézina Trophy winner stared down a barrage of shots in the final minutes as the hosts pressed for a goal.

Edmonton’s Jesse Puljujarvi scored his first playoff goal in his NHL post-season debut. Edmonton starter Mike Smith had 18 saves in the loss.

No fans were allowed in Rogers Place, but Alberta Health provided an exemption for a dozen front-line health workers to attend Wednesday’s game.

Meaningful Mementos

Remembering Someone You've Lost at Christmas

Dec 03, 2024

Seasonal Sorrow

How Do You Get Through The Holidays When You're Grieving?

Nov 01, 2024

Upcoming Events at Oliver's

Grief & Loss and Estate Planning Seminars

Oct 02, 2024

Game 2 is Friday in Edmonton before Games 3 and 4 on Sunday and Monday respectively in Winnipeg.

Oilers captain Connor McDavid officially earned his third Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s regular-season points leader earlier Wednesday when the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks concluded the campaign.

The 24-year-old finished with 33 goals and 72 assists in 56 games played, which was 21 points more than teammate and runner-up Leon Draisaitl. Both Oilers were held off the scoresheet Wednesday. 

Edmonton boasts the top power-play in the NHL, but didn’t convert its one chance with a man-advantage.

Edmonton had the momentum going into the opener with a 7-3-0 record compared to Winnipeg’s 3-7-0 in their last 10 games of the regular season.

Led by McDavid’s seven goals and 15 assists, the Oilers also won the season series 7-2.

But the Jets brought a hard game to the opener taking away time and space from Edmonton’s attack and tying up Oiler bodies and sticks.

Edmonton outshot the visitors 22-14 over two periods, but the game was tied 1-1 heading into the third.

Play continued for a few seconds before the goal horn sounded for Toninato’s game-winner at 10:46 of the third period.

He’d tipped a Logan Stanley blast from the blue-line, but the puck flew out so quickly it wasn’t immediately signalled a goal. 

Toninato was playing just his third game for Winnipeg. The 27-year-old made his debut in the second-last game of the regular season. 

The Jets drew even to 1-1 on Poolman’s goal at 11:01 of the second period. 

Smith didn’t secure the rebound on a Blake Wheeler shot, and Poolman swept the puck underneath the Edmonton goaltender.

Puljujarvi scored the first goal of the series at 8:24 of the second period. 

Teammate Tyson Barrie’s shot from the blue-line bounced off Jets defenceman Dylan DeMelo for Puljujarvi to corral and thread under Hellebuyck’s arm.

Winnipeg out-hit Edmonton 31-19 in a goal-free first period. 

Edmonton’s Josh Archibald delivered the biggest check of the period, however, crunching defenceman DeMelo into the boards.

Notes: Wheeler’s assist gave him a franchise-leading 29 career playoff points … Jets forwards Pierre-Luc Dubois (undisclosed) and Nikolaj Ehlers (upper-body) were scratched Wednesday … Oilers forward Zach Kassian drew back into the lineup after sitting out 11 games with a lower-body injury.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 19, 2021.

The Canadian Press