Deadspin roundup: Connor Hellebuyck shuts down Stars in NHL debut, lifting Devils to fourth straight win
Hellebuyck starts with a win
New Jersey’s new goaltender turned aside 17 shots as the Devils defeated the host Stars. It was Hellebuyck’s first appearance since April 13 and his season debut, four days after his arrival from the Winnipeg Jets in a blockbuster trade.
Nico Hischier scored twice, and Luke Hughes and Jack Hughes each contributed a goal and an assist. Jesper Boqvist also scored for New Jersey, while Justin Hryckowian supplied Dallas’ only goal; Casey DeSmith faced 27 shots and stopped 22.
Vancouver ends long skid
The Canucks rallied from a three-goal deficit late in regulation, then edged Anaheim in overtime to end a 10-game stretch without a win. Jonathan Lekkerimaki scored twice in the final three minutes, and Filip Hronek delivered the winner with 10.4 seconds remaining in overtime on a two-man advantage.
Liam Ohgren, Brock Boeser and Jamie Oleksiak also scored for Vancouver. A.J. Greer scored twice for the Ducks, who have lost six of their past seven; Jackson LaCombe recorded three assists.
Shootout and overtime decisions
The Islanders beat Nashville in a shootout after giving up a three-goal lead in the second period. Kyle Palmieri and Bo Horvat scored in the tiebreaker, and Semyon Varlamov earned his first NHL win since November 2024 after making 20 saves.
Columbus also needed extra time, defeating Philadelphia when Kent Johnson scored 2:22 into overtime for his second goal of the night. The Blue Jackets had led 3-0 before the Flyers rallied, with Jamie Drysdale tying the score 11 seconds before regulation ended.
Other results around the league
Florida beat Winnipeg behind Carter Verhaeghe’s two power-play goals and four assists from Matthew Tkachuk. The Panthers converted three of five chances with the man advantage, while Adam Lowry scored for the Jets, who have now lost six straight.
Chicago stopped a three-game losing streak by beating Los Angeles. Wyatt Kaiser broke a 1-1 tie with his first goal of the season at 7:17 of the third period, and Roman Kantserov also scored as Spencer Knight made 25 saves.
Key points
- Connor Hellebuyck stopped 17 shots in a 5-1 Devils win over Dallas.
- New Jersey extended its winning streak to four games and ended Dallas’ five-game winning run.
- Vancouver overcame a late three-goal deficit to snap a 10-game losing streak.
- The Islanders won in a shootout, while Columbus secured its victory in overtime.