Laurent Brossoit blocked 24 shots to secure his third shutout in the last five games. David Gustafsson celebrated his 24th birthday with a goal, helping the Winnipeg Jets defeat the Dallas Stars 3-0 on Thursday evening.
This win marks the Jets’ fifth consecutive victory, following a six-game stretch without a win, and it prevents the Stars from clinching the Central Division title. The Jets are now tied with the Colorado Avalanche for second place, both teams having accumulated 104 points, trailing the Stars by five points.
“We knew we had to bring our best game against such a strong team,” remarked Jets coach Rick Bowness, who previously coached the Stars for 2 1/2 seasons from 2019-22. “And that’s exactly what we did.”
While Dallas has two games left in the season, both the Jets and the Avalanche have three. Winnipeg holds the tiebreaker against Colorado with a 2-0 season series lead, setting the stage for their final meeting on Saturday in Denver.
Nikolaj Ehlers scored the opening goal late in the first period, followed by Gustafsson’s goal in the second period. Mark Scheifele sealed the win with an empty-net goal, marking his 25th of the season.
“They’re leading for a reason,” Ehlers commented on the Stars’ performance. “But tonight, we showed what we’re capable of when we play our game.”
Despite being second in the NHL in scoring, the Stars were shut out for the third time this season, marking their first home shutout of the year. “We’re familiar with their defensive style,” noted Stars forward Tyler Seguin. “We just couldn’t break through tonight.”
Dallas maintains its position in the President’s Cup race for the best record in the NHL, with the New York Rangers remaining one point ahead after a loss to Philadelphia.
Although Jake Oettinger’s eight-game winning streak came to an end, Stars coach Pete DeBoer noted that the team didn’t beat themselves and credited the Jets for their performance.
Brossoit, serving as the backup to Connor Hellebuyck, made key saves throughout the game and was fortunate when a shot by Jamie Benn hit the post in the second period.
Brossoit’s first two shutouts of the season came within a week in March, and his sixth career shutout came after a 10-day break from action. He has been in excellent form lately, winning seven of his last eight starts since February 20th.
