Copp scores career-high four goals, Jets finish sweep of Canucks

VANCOUVER -- Andrew Copp scored an NHL career-high four goals to help the Winnipeg Jets defeat the Vancouver Canucks 5-1 at Rogers Arena on Wednesday.

Copp scored his first two on the power play, deflecting a Neal Pionk point shot in for a 1-0 lead at 5:53 of the second period and knocking in a rebound from the top of the crease to make it 2-0 at 10:50. He scored into an empty net from his own end with 4:10 left in the third for his first NHL hat trick to make it 4-0. He made it 5-0 with 2:26 left on a rebound for the first four-goal game in the NHL this season.
"I'm going to have a hard time remembering my last four-goal game. I don't know if that's ever happened before, so it's a pretty cool experience," Copp said. "Obviously, the power play was working and then getting those two at the end were the cherries on top."
Connor Hellebuyck made 38 saves for the Jets (20-11-2), who have won eight straight games in Vancouver, including all four this season. Winnipeg outscored Vancouver 9-1 in sweeping the two-game set.
"We just bring our A-game every time we're here," Hellebuyck said. "The style of the game just suits us, that hard-nosed, grinding game and we have a lot of skill in this locker room and once we stick to it, we start to break teams and it's fun to watch."

Nils Hoglander scored with 1:25 left to end Hellebuyck's bid for a second straight shutout, and Thatcher Demko made 31 saves for the Canucks (16-18-3). Vancouver, which doesn't play again until March 31, has lost two straight in regulation following a five-game point streak (4-0-1).
"Sometimes you play a pretty decent game and things don't go your way," coach Travis Green said. "Does it sting? Yeah, a little bit. It should, though. That's why we play the games, because they matter, and they feel great when you win and when you lose, they're supposed to hurt."

Vancouver had the first seven shots of the second period, but Hellebuyck made two saves off Jimmy Vesey in tight. The Canucks took consecutive penalties for too many men on the ice, and the Jets scored on both power plays for a 2-0 lead.
"Their goalie was outstanding," Green said. "I thought 5-on-5 we did a lot of good things. I didn't like the two penalties that we took for too many men and I didn't like our penalty kill. And that was probably the difference in the game."
After Copp's two power play goals, Mark Scheifele made it 3-0 on a rebound at the side of the net with 1:47 left in the second period.
Hellebuyck came into Vancouver having allowed at least three goals his previous eight starts but made 22 saves for his first shutout of the season in a 4-0 win on Monday. He was almost perfect again in a much busier rematch before Hoglander batted in a rebound from the low slot after the goalie lost his stick in a scramble.
"It stings a little bit," Hellebuyck said. "I love shutouts but at the end of the day we win and that's all I really care about."
Copp completed his first hat trick after the Canucks pulled Demko for an extra attacker with 5:42 left.
"I definitely owe (linemate Mason Appleton) a nice dinner, a bottle of wine or something for not passing to him on the empty net," Copp said. "But [it's] a pretty cool feeling,"
NOTES: Copp is the sixth player in Jets/Atlanta Thrashers history to score at least four goals in a game. He has 10 goals in 33 games this season; last season, he scored 10 in 63 games. … Jets forward Paul Stastny played his 978th NHL regular-season game, passing his father, Hall of Fame forward Peter Stastny (977 games). … Winnipeg center Pierre-Luc Dubois had two assists. … Canucks center Bo Horvat played 22:40 despite leaving the game Monday after taking a hard shot off his left foot. … Canucks center Brandon Sutter was a late scratch for a second straight with an undisclosed injury after taking part in the morning skate.