Jets goalie Hellebuyck pulled for third straight road game as Jets fall to Blues

By Canadian Press on May 2, 2025.

ST LOUIS — The surprise return of forward Nikolaj Ehlers gave the Winnipeg Jets an injection of star power on Friday against the St. Louis Blues.

The problem was the team’s biggest name — goaltender Connor Hellebuyck — turned in another mediocre performance at Enterprise Center.

A nominee for both the Vezina and Hart trophies, Hellebuyck was pulled early for a third straight road game in a 5-2 loss in Game 6. The Blues scored four goals in a span of just over five minutes in the second period to force a deciding game on Sunday in Winnipeg.

“A one-game showdown, that’s what it is,” Jets coach Scott Arniel said by way of deflection when asked about Hellebuyck’s performance. “Not just Connor, this isn’t about Connor. Tonight was not about Connor.

“Tonight we imploded in front of him. Now it’s a one-game showdown.”

The Jets did not help their netminder at times, but he was flat when he needed to be strong. As Arniel spoke to reporters, the television screen on media room wall gave him a reminder of that.

A graphic noted that Hellebuyck, who did not speak to reporters after the game, had dropped seven straight road playoff games.

Hellebuyck allowed six goals in a 7-2 loss in Game 3 and surrendered all five goals in a 5-1 defeat in Game 4. He didn’t make it past the second intermission this time around, allowing five goals on 23 shots.

“I don’t need to talk about Bucky,” Ehlers said. “Bucky has been phenomenal for us all year, and he’s continued to do that. We’ve got to be better.”

With the game tied 1-1, Nathan Walker gave St. Louis the lead by converting a one-timer from Philip Broberg. Hellebuyck looked rather ordinary less than a minute later when Brayden Schenn beat him on the glove side.

A sellout crowd, already in strong voice with regular chants of “Connnnn-norrr,” kept the verbal onslaught coming. The Blues didn’t let up either, with Cam Fowler and Alexey Toropchenko adding on.

Hellebuyck could only turn around after each goal, rest his arm on the crossbar and take a swig from his water bottle as the celebratory music blared.

Cole Perfetti and Nino Neiderreiter scored the Winnipeg goals.

“We were playing a really strong game and it swung,” Arniel said. “Just like Game 4. You hope you learn from it the first time. But obviously, (it) happened again.”

The top-seeded Jets need a home win in Game 7 to secure their first second-round appearance since 2021.

“This is two really good teams going at it and that’s why it’s going seven games,” said Perfetti. “So there’s very little room for error.”

Ehlers, meanwhile, provided an immediate spark on a line with Perfetti and Adam Lowry. The left-winger, who missed three weeks with a right foot injury, had a great scoring chance on his first shift but was stopped by Jordan Binnington.

The Jets controlled play in the early going to help cool the crowd but the Blues struck first.

Broberg one-timed a rolling puck that knuckled past Hellebuyck, who was essentially boxed out when Dylan Samberg pushed winger Pavel Buchnevich through the crease. The Jets opted not to challenge for goaltender interference.

The Blues outshot 8-2 in the opening stanza but Winnipeg came out gunning to open the second period.

Morgan Barron stormed into the zone and lifted a puck over Binnington’s shoulder but the goal was called back as the Jets were offside.

Ehlers, who had 63 points in 69 games this season, was a welcome addition after a Game 5 injury to Mark Scheifele.

The top-line centre didn’t make the trip after taking a couple of punishing bodychecks in Winnipeg’s 5-3 win two nights earlier.

Ehlers, who only started practising with the team a few days ago, shed his non-contact jersey at the morning skate and got the starting nod in a game-time decision.

Perfetti batted a puck out of mid-air for a game-tying power-play goal early in the second period. Niederreiter tallied midway through the third with the game out of reach.

The home team has won every game in the series so far. The Blues will look to change that Sunday night.

“It’s an opportunity that we’ve earned and now we have to go seize it,” said St. Louis head coach Jim Montgomery.

The Jets earned the Presidents’ Trophy after a 116-point regular season.

Another loss and it will be a waste.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 2, 2025.

Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press