Pionk: Jets 'got to play better in front' of struggling Hellebuyck

The Stanley Cup Playoffs are famously unpredictable, but few could've foreseen Winnipeg Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck losing his Vezina-caliber form in the first round.

Hellebuyck has an .870 save percentage in four games against the Colorado Avalanche and has allowed more goals (19) than any other goaltender in the playoffs. With Winnipeg in a 3-1 series hole, blue-liner Neal Pionk said it's up to the skaters to pick up their star between the pipes.

"We have the best goalie in the league, and we got to play better in front of him. So plain and simple," Pionk said, according to The Canadian Press. "We got to give up less chances, block more shots and compete a little harder in front of him."

The Jets pulled the netminder from a 5-1 loss Sunday in Game 4, but head coach Rick Bowness agrees with Pionk's assessment.

"I gave him a little bit of a breather in the third period last night and to put a little more onus on the players in front of him have to play better," Bowness said. "That's why we made that (change). It had absolutely nothing to do with his play at all."

The Avalanche have heavily controlled play in the series, outshooting the Jets 122-87 at five-on-five while also registering 56.35% of scoring chances and 59.67% of expected goals, according to Natural Stat Trick.

Colorado was the league's most potent offense in the regular season, but many expected Winnipeg to be a difficult test in large part due to Hellebuyck.

The 30-year-old is a Vezina Trophy finalist for the fourth time in seven seasons and is the presumptive favorite for the hardware after going 37-19-4 with a .921 save percentage and five shutouts in 60 games this season.

Winnipeg's must-win Game 5 is scheduled for Tuesday night on home ice.

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