Connor Hellebuyck is navigating a difficult stretch in road games.
The goaltender for the Winnipeg Jets was taken out of Game 4 against the St. Louis Blues early in the third period on Sunday, immediately after the Blues scored their fifth goal against him.
This marked the second consecutive game where Eric Comrie came in to replace Hellebuyck.
Game 4 was notably Hellebuyck`s sixth straight road playoff appearance where he has allowed at least four goals. This puts him in a rare category, being one of only seven goaltenders in NHL history to record such a statistic.
During the regular season, Hellebuyck was exceptional for the Jets, achieving a league-leading 2.00 goals-against average and eight shutouts, along with the second-best save percentage (.925), putting him on track for what is expected to be his third Vezina Trophy. In contrast, the 31-year-old`s performance heading into Sunday`s game featured a 3.53 GAA and a .844 save percentage, including allowing six goals in the prior Game 3.
Struggles in the postseason have unfortunately become a pattern for the American netminder. His last playoff run with a goals-against average below 3.00 and a save percentage above .900 was in 2020, the season he earned his first Vezina.
The season after being recognized as the league`s top goalie, Hellebuyck posted a 5.24 GAA and .864 save percentage during Winnipeg`s elimination in the first round.
According to data compiled by Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic, over the last three playoff seasons (across 14 games), Hellebuyck has allowed the most goals above expected in the league (15.2). For comparison, the next goaltender on this list, Stuart Skinner of Edmonton, is at -5.6.
Fans in St. Louis seemed less than thrilled with the goalie change, chanting “we want Connor” as play resumed on the ice.
Meanwhile, Comrie is hoping to carry his solid regular-season performance into the playoffs. The 29-year-old finished the season with a .914 save percentage and a 2.39 GAA over 20 games.
Tristan Blackwood