The Winnipeg Jets have done it again.
On Tuesday night, the NHL's top club picked up another victory - its league-leading 12th of the season.
This time, it was a narrow 3-0 win over the recently re-located Utah Hockey Club in the team's first visit to Canada Life Centre.\
Nino Niederreiter scored twice in what was his 900th career game, while Gabe Vilardi got the party started with a second period power play goal, as Connor Hellebuyck picked up his second shutout of the season and league-leading ninth win.
“The cool part is that we find ways to win hockey games and that’s the most important thing," Niederreiter said post-game. "It’s great to see guys get so many important milestones. Tonight, like you mentioned was kind of my night to reach 900 games, which is a cool accomplishment. I am very happy about it.”
The matchup was Winnipeg's second of a four-game homestand, and first of three-straight against Central Division opponents.
Unlike that of the Jets' recent play, it was a six-goal explosion on Tuesday.
It was a goaltender battle: reigning Vezina Trophy winner Hellebuyk vs. noted Jets killer Karel Vejmelka.
Vejmelka, who once recorded a 46-save shutout against the Jets at Canada Life Centre, has lost each of his last nine games against Winnipeg, but has also turned aside 46 of 46 shots, 46 of 48 shots and 38 of 40 in a span of three-straight games vs. the Jets.
This time it took until the 38th minute of play for Winnipeg to beat Utah's netminder. The opening goal of the game came on a Jets power play - surprise, surprise.
Kyle Connor found Mark Scheifele on the half-wall, who got the puck back to defenceman Josh Morrissey. His cannon of a shot was deflected into the net by Gabe Vilardi, for his fifth of the season.
Winnipeg led 1-0 through 40 minutes, while maintaining a 22-14 shot lead heading into the third.
It was the third line that got the insurance marker just over a third of the way into the final stanza. Adam Lowry and Mason Appleton combined for a pretty breakout play at the Utah blueline, leading to a drop pass to Nino Niederreiter.
The veteran forward patiently outwaited Vejmelka and slipped the puck into the open net on a strong head fake.
It was Niederreiter again who would put the finishing touches on Utah, scoring his second of the game and seventh of the season into the empty net, with Vejmelka looking on from the bench.
Hellebuyck finished the night with 21 saves, while Vejmelka made 25 stops on the 27 pucks he faced.
“He’s been terrific; he is our backbone," Neiderreiter said of Hellebuyck. "Both goaltenders have been terrific for us. They work extremely hard each and every day in practice and it shows on the ice when they play the game.”
Next up for Winnipeg is the third test of the four-game homestead, as the Colorado Avalanche show up to Canada Life Centre on Thursday evening, before the Dallas Stars come to Manitoba on Saturday afternoon.
