Connor Hellebuyck, Jets blank Stars, extend series

Connor Hellebuyck made 22 saves to help the Winnipeg Jets stay alive in their Western Conference semifinal series with a 4-0 victory against the visiting Dallas Stars in Game 5 on Thursday.The Star

Connor Hellebuyck, Jets blank Stars, extend series

Connor Hellebuyck made 22 saves to help the Winnipeg Jets stay alive in their Western Conference semifinal series with a 4-0 victory against the visiting Dallas Stars in Game 5 on Thursday.

The Stars hold a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series heading to Game 6 on Saturday in Dallas.

Hellebuyck has two shutouts in the series, five in his postseason career and 50 overall.

His home shutout streak stretched to 143:22.

Nikolaj Ehlers scored two goals, Mark Scheifele had a goal and an assist, Vladislav Namestnikov also scored and Kyle Connor and Neal Pionk had two assists each for the Jets, who were coming off losses in Games 3 and 4 at Dallas.

Jake Oettinger made 31 saves for the Stars, who were shut out 4-0 in Game 2.

After the Jets outshot the Stars 11-4 in a scoreless first period, Hellebuyck made a glove save on Dallas defenseman Thomas Harley from in close in the opening minute of the second period and later a poke check on Wyatt Johnston’s drive to the net.

Connor then retrieved the puck and traded passes with Pionk as they raced through all three zones. Connor then passed to a trailing Scheifele, who took a shot from the right circle that nicked the stick of Johnston, banked off the skate of Harley and into his own net to give the Jets a 1-0 lead at 6:17.

It was Winnipeg’s only shot on goal through the first 13 minutes of the second period.

The Jets were 1-for-18 on the power play in the series when Dallas committed tripping penalties 11 seconds apart early in the third period.

The Jets scored 30 seconds into the two-man advantage when Ehlers received a pass to the side of the net and skated in close before firing the puck into the far side for a 2-0 lead at 2:20.

Winnipeg added another power-play goal with 7:53 remaining in the game. Alex Iafallo made a backhand pass from below the goal line to Namestnikov, who was cutting through the right circle. Namestnikov scored with a one-timer.

Ehlers scored into an empty net with 45 seconds left.