The Winnipeg Jets claimed Clay Stevenson off waivers on Sep. 28, hoping he could be a viable stopgap in Connor Hellebuyck's absence.
After sitting out the first two games, Stevenson got his shot on Monday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins and didn't disappoint. While he didn't finish as one of the game's three stars, Stevenson was still effective.
He stopped 30 of 32 shots on goal, with a 0.938 save percentage. He was also perfect against both Penguins power-play opportunities.
That will be a momentum-builder as the Jets look to put last season's woes behind them when they were one of the most disappointing teams in hockey. So far, the Stuart Skinner-Clay Stevenson combo has produced a 2-0-1 record and five points.
That's a good omen for Jets fans as the 2026-27 season moves deeper into October.
Stevenson's performance was especially memorable because the Jets found themselves scoreless through the first two periods. Then Ben Kindel tipped one in at 9:27 in the second period to give the Penguins the lead off an assist from Declan Carlile, who put the puck in a position that only Kindel could reach.
Winnipeg didn't score until 4:43 of the third period when Alex Iafallo knocked one in on a wrister during a sequence that was pure effort. Adam Lowry then gave the Jets a 2-1 lead at the 7:08 mark with helpers from Iafallo and Dylan DeMelo. Iafallo nearly scored on that sequence, taking the puck to the net before Lowry did the rest.
Stevenson gave up his second goal of the night when the Jets fumbled the puck in their own zone. Carlile took advantage of the mistake and scored on a wrist shot to tie the game with assists from Kindel and Ville Koivunen.
Cole Perfetti made sure momentum didn't swing in the home team's direction any longer than nine seconds. Josh Morrissey took possession of the puck and launched a pass through traffic to Perfetti, who drilled it home on a snap shot.
Stevenson then stopped Pittsburgh's final five shots on goal to collect his first win as a Jet.
Few hockey fans would have a high opinion of Clay Stevenson and Stuart Skinner. But their early-season returns have been encouraging. Skinner helped Winnipeg jump out of the gate to a 1-0-1 record. And if it wasn't for a late surge from the Boston Bruins in the season opener, Winnipeg would have a perfect record through three games.
Still, Skinner has a solid 0.909 save percentage and a respectable 2.92 GAA. He came up strong in the clutch on Sunday when he played a massive role in helping the Jets fend off a late-game surge against the Detroit Red Wings. If Skinner keeps up that effort, he has the potential to be one of the league's better netminders.
As for Stevenson, his last five starts have produced a 0.600 quality starts percentage, a 4-1-0 record, a 0.925 save percentage, and a 2.00 GAA. You can't ask for much more. And Jets fans will be keeping tabs on Stevenson's performance going forward in 2026-27.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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