Jets, Hellebuyck handle Blues, Allen

ST. LOUIS-- Connor Hellebuyck made 41 saves, and the Winnipeg Jets opened the season with a 5-1 win against the St. Louis Blues at Enterprise Center on Thursday.

WATCH: [All Jets vs. Blues highlights]
"I was having some fun out there, I was enjoying everything," Hellebuyck said. "The guys made it so easy on me. I was able to square up and do my job. I think that's the key. Everyone was doing their job. If they do that at the highest level, I think we should be a good team."
Patrik Laine, Kyle Connor and Blake Wheeler each had a goal and an assist, and Adam Lowry and Brandon Tanev scored for Winnipeg.
"He was unreal," Laine said of Hellebuyck. "Just ridiculous, watching from the bench those saves he made. He was really good tonight, and I think he was easily the best player on the ice tonight."

Jake Allen made 20 saves, and Vince Dunn scored in the third period for the Blues.
"It's tough, it's the first game and certainly not going to go overboard here with what we're feeling," St. Louis coach Mike Yeo said. "Obviously it's disappointing. I think that there's a lot to learn from the game about our group and playing against a good team like that and what goes into winning games. I think we had some opportunities and didn't capitalize."
Laine scored a power-play goal to give the Jets a 1-0 lead at 4:01 of the first period, a shot that was deflected by Blues defenseman Colton Parayko.
"I think it hit a stick," Laine said. "I'm not a preseason guy, and when the season starts, I'll start scoring. I felt really good during the game. I was able to create some good chances. I think it was a pretty good first game."
Winnipeg scored three third-period goals in a 1:44 span on consecutive shots.
Lowry's shorthanded breakaway made it 2-0 at 5:51; Wheeler scored at 6:55 to make it 3-0; and Connor scored at 7:35 to make it 4-0.
"We kind of beat ourselves there," Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo said. "Yeah, we gave up the shorthanded goal, but it's the ones after that that we have to grab control of. I thought we were good up to that point. We had a lot of really good looks, especially on the power play. When you're not capitalizing, can't make those kinds of mistakes."

Hellebuyck maintained a 1-0 lead when he made a save against Alexander Steen seconds before Lowry's goal; he also made a lunging blocker save on Ryan O'Reilly in the second period.
"You know, I thought I was feeling it tonight," Hellebuyck said. "I was playing well, I was moving well, but with that being said, I think it was the guys in front of me keeping [the puck] to the outside, allowing me to see shots. It makes a huge difference."
Tanev made it 5-0 at 11:05, Winnipeg's fourth goal on five shots. Dunn ended Hellebuyck's shutout by scoring with 5:50 left to make it 5-1.

They said it

"It would be the goaltender. He was just outstanding. Most of it was shorthanded, but you need your goaltender to be that good, and he had a number of really good saves. You get a guy like that playing that kind of game, it inspires you to push a little harder. He had to be real good." -- Jets coach Paul Maurice
"He was getting lots of shots and he was feeling it. It was tough to crack him. It happens some nights. We've got to push through it to find a way to put it in." -- Blues center Ryan O'Reilly

Need to know

Wheeler has 32 points (13 goals, 19 assists) in 28 games against St. Louis. ... Winnipeg won its fourth straight road opener. ... Jets forward Kristian Vesalainen had an assist playing 8:12 in his NHL debut. ... The Blues had won three straight season openers. ... Dunn's goal was his sixth in the NHL (76 games).

What's next

Jets: At the Dallas Stars on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; SN360, SNW, FS-SW, NHL.TV)
Blues: Host the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; FS-MW, NBCSCH, NHL.TV)