Winnipeg Jets' Rasmus Kupari celebrates after scoring on Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger during first period NHL hockey action in Winnipeg, on Nov. 9.FRED GREENSLADE/The Canadian Press
The Winnipeg Jets now boast the greatest start to a season in NHL history, as they became the first team to win 14 of their opening 15 games by crushing the visiting Dallas Stars 4-1 on Saturday afternoon.
Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck turned aside 32 shots in the process while setting the franchise shutout streak record to 191:45 of ice time.
The Ottawa Senators in 2007-08 won 13 of their first 14 games.
Alex Iafallo and Vladislav Namestnikov each had a goal and an assist for Winnipeg. Rasmus Kupari and Nikolaj Ehlers both scored. Cole Perfetti had two helpers, while Neal Pionk, Mark Scheifele and Gabriel Vilardi also chipped in assists.
Dallas netminder Jake Oettinger was chased 29:21 into the game after making only 11 saves on 15 shots. He was replaced by Casey DeSmith, who made 10 stops on 10 shots.
Iafallo got Winnipeg on the board first 7:28 into the opening frame, finishing off a buzzing man advantage when he chipped the puck into the back of the net following a crisp pass across the crease from Namestnikov.
Winnipeg continued to build its lead at the 10:21 mark of the opening stanza when Iafallo created a rebound off Oettinger that trickled onto the stick of Kupari. It took only a quick deke by Kupari to tuck the puck into the open net for 2-0.
The offensive onslaught did not stop there. After Namestnikov carved around the back of the net, he stuffed the puck through the glove of Oettinger to give the Jets a 3-0 advantage at 3:34 of the second period.
The Jets continued to not give an inch. Ehlers finished off a tight cycle 7:14 into the middle frame from the high slot on the power play to grow his team’s lead to 4-0.
Dallas was able to salvage a goal that ended Hellebuyck’s shutout streak before it reached three straight games on Roope Hintz’s tally with 1:22 remaining on assists from Thomas Harley and Evgenii Dadonov.
– Field Level Media