Maurice praises Hellebuyck after second strong showing

With Steve Mason struggling, Connor Hellebuyck is making the most of his opportunity in the crease.

The Winnipeg Jets backup netminder picked up his second straight win Thursday as he turned aside 30 shots to help secure a 4-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks.

"He's had two really, really good nights where he's looked the same," Jets coach Paul Maurice told reporters following the victory. "His positioning is real strong and he's seeing the puck. He looks good."

Hellebuyck's quick shift into the starting role comes as a bit of a surprise after Winnipeg made a two-year, $8.2-million commitment to Mason this offseason.

The thinking was Mason would help shore up the Jets' biggest weakness - between the pipes - after Hellebuyck failed to claim the top job last season. But the early returns from the new addition have been ugly - Mason holds a .831 save percentage and 6.56 goals-against average through two games - leaving Maurice little choice but to call on Hellebuyck.

Winnipeg's next game comes Saturday against the Carolina Hurricanes, and while the team has not yet announced its starter, it's up to the recently-extended Maurice to stick with the hot hand in Hellebuyck.

It's early in the season, but every point is crucial for the high-flying Jets, especially for a team that missed last year's postseason due to the handful of points squandered from poor goaltending. In the here and now, Hellebuyck offers the Jets their best chance to turn the tide.

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