Jets score 7 points, shutout Avalanche in playoff preview

It was Hellebuyck's fifth in 37 seasons of his NHL career.

“We have the best goalie in the league,” Jets quarterback Neil Pionk said. “It gives us a lot of confidence, let's play freely, let's show some game. Like I said, when we play these good teams, no matter what we do, they make a few plays. We can play a great game and still give up some chances and the goalie will help us.”

Sean Monahan had two goals and one assist, Josh Morrissey had one goal and two assists and Adam Lowry scored twice and scored six times for the winning Jets (50-24-6). Kyle Connor, Nikolai Ehlers and David Gustafsson each had two assists.

Winnipeg and Colorado will meet in the first round of the Western Conference.

“It wasn't their best game,” Jets coach Rick Bowness said of the Avalanche. “We know we can do better than that. I know their goalkeeper had a tough night. We're happy with what we've done, knowing it won't happen when the playoffs start.

“We know they are much better than that. Great hockey team here. They. They have elite players, the coaches forced them to play hockey. Today, this is not their hockey team. We know they're a great hockey team and we know it's going to be a tough series.”

Winnipeg is two points ahead of second-place Colorado in the Central and has home-ice advantage in the first round, with two regular-season games remaining for each. The Dallas Stars won the division with a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Saturday.

“It would be great for us to start at home and play in front of our fans. We worked hard to get it under control,” Lowry said. “It's good, but whether we start at home or on the road, we're a real reliable group. We like our team, we like the depth, we like how we can balance players at home or on the road. We'll try to sort that out in the next two games, but regardless, we're just focused on being ready for the first game.

Alexander Georgiev allowed four goals on 15 shots for the Avalanche (49-25-6) and was replaced by Justus Annunen late in the first period. Annunen made eight saves for Colorado, which has lost four of seven games.

“We have to keep that in mind,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. “We have to learn from it and study it and understand it because we have to be better than that. Two of the last three games have been like this. It's a big game, right, and that's how we came out in the first period…

“It's a really good team, but that doesn't change the fact that you're ready to start. It is impossible to participate in hockey games.

Monaghan gave Winnipeg a 1-0 lead at 5:59 of the first period when he tapped home a backhand pass from Ehlers. Ehlers rolled the puck into the back of the net before curling into the left post.

Gabriel Villardi made it 2-0 at 8:02 with a shot off the left post. He dropped to one knee and made a one-time pass to Connor from low in the right circle.

“Our first period, we did a really good job of staying on top of them, forcing turnovers, and our power play got us two big goals,” Lowry said. “They have the best players in the world, they have a lot of speed in the middle.”