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Connor Hellebuyck by no means a favorite for Vezina

 Matthew Garcia
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Connor Hellebuyck by no means a favorite for Vezina
Credit: Capture d'écran / Screenshot
The National Hockey League series that has provided us with the best spectacle since the start of the playoffs is clearly the one pitting the Colorado Avalanche against the Winnipeg Jets.

We’ve known for a long time that this series was going to offer us some top-notch offensive play, and that we should be prepared not to blink or go to the bathroom during this series.

To give you an idea, a total of 28 goals have been scored so far by both teams in just three games.

Obviously, it’s an entertaining and exciting series for the fans, but it’s also a horrible and nightmarish one for the coaches, but especially for the goalkeepers.

Alexander Georgiev turned in one of the worst playoff performances ever by an NHL goaltender.

However, it’s important to remember that Georgiev wasn’t the only goalie to perform poorly in this game.

Georgiev’s performance masked the fact that Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck had a poor game, allowing six goals.

And now that Georgiev has bounced back brilliantly in the next two games, well, Hellebuyck’s poor performance is completely blown away, as he tears it up yet again in the playoffs.

Hellebuyck enjoyed a regular season in which he was the favorite to win the Vezina Trophy, awarded to the season’s best goalie, but in the playoffs he didn’t play at all like a goalie deserving of the award.

The 30-year-old goalie is THE Winnipeg Jets’ strength, and that’s why the Jets’ boat is currently sinking with Hellebuyck not performing.

Let’s just say that Georgiev playing better than Hellebuyck is very bad news for Jets fans.

If they’re going to have an advantage anywhere against the Avalanche, it’s in front of the net, but right now that’s not the case at all.

Hellebuyck is falling apart, especially in the third period, as the following statistic shows.

In this series against the Avalanche (three games):

  • Efficiency percentage in first and second periods: .902
  • Third-period efficiency percentage: .794

In short, Hellebuyck can’t hold down the fort for the Jets, who absolutely need it, especially when they’re ahead after two periods, as was the case last night.

The Jets’ No. 37 simply can’t allow four goals in the third period.

In short, the Jets are now trailing in the series, and the next game will be of the utmost importance.

They’ll absolutely need a big performance from Hellebuyck, unless we decide to make a big move and trust Laurent Brossoit for Game #4.

Brossoit enjoyed success with the Vegas Golden Knights in the playoffs last season before being injured and leaving his place to Adin Hill.

Stay tuned.


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