After allowing his fifth goal on Sunday afternoon, Connor Hellebuyck skated towards the Winnipeg Jets` bench. His teammates tapped his pads in a show of support, acknowledging their role in the goals. He briefly interacted with backup goalie Eric Comrie before sitting down for the rest of the game, which the St. Louis Blues won to tie the series.
Seeing Hellebuyck leave the game early has been a recurring theme in the Jets` last two playoff appearances. The expected Vezina Trophy winner and Hart Trophy contender has been replaced in three of his last nine playoff starts. This contrasts sharply with the regular season, where he completed 121 out of 122 starts over the past two seasons.
Jets coach Scott Arniel commented to reporters, “I believed our goaltending was superior in the first two games. In the following two games, their goaltending surpassed ours. It`s that straightforward.”
In Games 3 and 4, the Blues scored 5.49 goals more than expected against Hellebuyck. This marked the first time in over three years, specifically since April 15-16, 2022, that the Jets had removed Hellebuyck from consecutive starts, according to NHL Stats and Information.
Tristan Blackwood