Game day guide: Stars at jets

First change 🏒

On Wednesday evening, two of the best NHL guards in the NHL complain when the stars and jets open their second series series.

These are also two guards who played for the United States team during the confrontation of the 4 nations and know each other quite well, so the competition should be a key in which the team wins the top.

“It’s fun, you still want to go against the best,” said stars Jake Oettinger’s goalkeeper to face Winnipeg Connor Hellebuyck. “He is about to be a triple winner of the Vezina Trophy and it is not much better than that. It will be an excellent series. The goals will not be easy to find for us, so you just have to leave your eyes.”

Hellebuyck won the Vezina in 2020 and 2024 and is the favorite of the hands to win it again this year. In fact, after having displayed a record of 47-12-3 with a GAA of 2.00, a percentage of stops of 0.925 and eight whitening, there are discussions that he could win the Hart trophy as a Ligue MVP. It’s an impressive season. But Oettinger did not shrink purple. He finished third in victories at 36-18-4 and had a GAA of 2.58 and a percentage of stops of .909. The two shared the fold in the 4 nations, and the two are the main candidates to be the starter of Team USA at the 2026 Olympic Games.

“I think this is obviously an excellent opportunity for Jake,” said stars coach Pete Deboer. “Hellebuyck is in a way the bar of the League for goalkeepers, especially young American goalkeepers. He is a candidate Vezina each year, the best figures in the league every year, it’s always a guy that you are trying to continue and tracking down. And Jake is a competitive guy. I think he wants this opportunity to play against a guy who is the best.”

Oettinger has the advantage on the comparison table with its eliminatory performance. The 26-year-old obtained Dallas in the Western Conference final in each of the last two seasons and has a record of 27-25 playoffs with a GAA of 2.52 and a percentage of stops of 0.915. Hellebuyck has a 22-30 sheet in playoffs with a GAA of 2.98 and a percentage of 0.902 stops in the playoffs. Last year, he had a percentage of GAA of 5.23 and 0.864 in a defeat in the first round against Colorado. This season, it was withdrawn twice against Saint-Louis and has a reduction percentage of 3.85 GAA and 0.830 in the first seven games. This has created some questions about his capacities in the playoffs.

Deboer said it was not the goal.

“I’m sure he’s going to be great,” said Deboer. “I’m sure we’re going to see the guy ready for the Vezina and we have to be prepared for this.”

Hellebuyck went 3-1-0 against the stars this season and told journalists in Winnipeg that he was looking forward to reset after the first round.

“I think there was certainly a time when I was able to bring my game to another level,” said Hellebuyck by helping the jets at a 4-3 victory in double extension in match 7. “And that we certainly have a new territory that we did not pass. Here, I am really excited to put my best foot and do my job.”

Oettinger said stars often talk about areas in front of the guards. They want to keep the area in front of him own and they want to create so much distractions in front of the opposing goalkeeper. It worked against Colorado and he hopes it will work against Winnipeg.

“It is very cerebral,” said Oettinger about Hellebuyck’s knowledge during the 4 nations tournament. “He knows the position very well and he knows what works for him. He had a ton of success by doing things as he does. I just have to learn a lot from him.”

One of the things that could help in battle are the potential return of the best defender Miro Heiskanen. He has been released since the end of January with a knee injury, but is about to come back. Likewise, striker Jason Robertson seems to be about to come back after missing the first round with a lower body injury. Oettinger said the two would be welcome.

“We all know what we miss right now,” said Oettinger. “Miro, in my opinion, is the best defender of the NHL and Robo has collected 110 points in a season, so the fact that we do not have these two guys, we are well. This shows how deep we are in a team and if we can add them, it will help us even more.”

Who, in the end, is the key to this battle. As good as the guards are, the team that plays the best chance of winning better.

“Obviously, we miss Miro and Robo all the first round, these are two elite players. Each time we get them, it will help us give us even more depth,” said Rantanen. “But I think that depth is a very large key in a cutting race. And I must say that Otter is a manufacturer of difference and a very, very good goalkeeper. It’s 2-0 and he made key stops. If they mark it 3-0, it’s probably finished and they are now celebrating. He is one of the best goalkeepers in the world. ” ” ‘