Hellebuyck makes 24 saves in return from knee injury, Jets beat Capitals 5-1

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Connor Hellebuyck made 24 saves in his return from a knee injury, Gabriel Vilardi scored twice and the Winnipeg Jets beat the Washington Capitals 5-1 on Saturday night to end a three-game losing streak.

Hellebuyck had arthroscopic surgery three weeks ago. The reigning Hart and Vezina Trophy winner missed 12 games, with the Jets going 2-9-1.

Alex Iafallo had a goal and assist, and Logan Stanley and Morgan Barron also scored for the Jets. Adam Lowry, Josh Morrissey, Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele each had two assists.

Jakob Chychrun spoiled Hellebuyck’s shutout bid on a two-man advantage with 3:28 left. Logan Thompson stopped 30 shots for Washington. The Capitals had earned points in nine games in a row.

The Jets outshot the Capitals 13-3 in the first period. Washington’s first two shots came during a power play that started at 6:50 of the opening period.

Stanley scored his fifth goal of the season 23 seconds after the man advantage expired. He swatted the puck out of the air into the net after it bounced off the backboards from Morrissey’s point shot at 9:13.

The new line of Barron, Lowry and Iafallo also accounted for the next two goals.

Barron made it 2-0 with 1:17 remaining in the first, then Iafallo was credited with a goal when the puck went off the stick of Washington forward Justin Sourdif 3:39 into the second.

Vilardi scored his first of the night with seven seconds remaining in the second. Vilardi and Chychrun had third-period goals.

Jets forward Nino Niederreiter played his 1,000th NHL game to become the first Swiss-born player to reach the milestone.

Capitals: At Minnesota on Tuesday night.

Jets: Host Ottawa on Monday night.

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Winnipeg Jets' Alex Iafallo (9) celebrates his goal against the Washington Capitals during the second period of an NHL game in Winnipeg on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

Winnipeg Jets' Jonathan Toews (19) and Washington Capitals' Justin Sourdif (34) battle for position during the first period of an NHL game in Winnipeg on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

Winnipeg Jets' Logan Stanley (64) scores on Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson (48) during the first period of an NHL game in Winnipeg on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

Winnipeg Jets' Logan Stanley (64) celebrates his goal on Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson (48) during first period NHL game in Winnipeg on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) saves the shot as Luke Schenn (5) defends against Washington Capitals' Brandon Duhaime (left) during the second period of an NHL game in Winnipeg on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

BAGHDAD (AP) — The result of last month’s parliamentary elections in Iraq was ratified by the Supreme Federal Court on Sunday, confirming that the party of caretaker prime minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani won the largest number of seats — but not enough to assure him a second term.

The court confirmed that the voting process met all constitutional and legal requirements and had no irregularities affecting its validity.

The Independent High Electoral Commission submitted the final results of the legislative elections to the Supreme Federal Court on Monday for official certification after resolving 853 complaints submitted regarding the election results.

Al-Sudani's Reconstruction and Development Coalition won 46 seats in the 329-seat parliament. However, in past elections in Iraq, the bloc taking the largest number of seats has often been unable to impose its preferred candidate.

The coalition led by former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki won 29 seats, the Sadiqoun Bloc, which is led by the leader of the Asaib Ahl al-Haq militia, Qais al-Khazali, won 28 seats, and the Kurdistan Democratic Party, led by Masoud Barzani, one of the two main Kurdish parties in the country, won 27 seats.

The Taqaddum (Progress) party of ousted former Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi also won 27 seats, setting the stage for a contest over the speaker's role.

By convention, the prime minister of Iraq is always Shiite, the president a Kurd, and the parliament speaker Sunni.

Overall, Shiite alliances and lists secured 187 seats, Sunni groups 77 seats, Kurdish groups 56 seats, in addition to 9 seats reserved for members of minority groups.

Al-Sudani came to power in 2022 with the backing of the Coordination Framework, a coalition of Iran-backed Shiite parties, but it is not clear whether the coalition will align behind him a second time.

With no single bloc able to form a government alone, political leaders have launched negotiations to build a ruling coalition.

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Martany reported from Irbil, Iraq.

FILE - Voters gather to cast their vote at a ballot station in the country's parliamentary election in Najaf, Iraq, Nov. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Anmar Khalil, File)

FILE - Iraqi voters gather to cast their vote at a ballot station in the country's parliamentary election in Najaf, Iraq, Nov. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Anmar Khalil, File)

FILE - Election workers count ballots as they close a polling station, during the parliamentary elections in Baghdad, Iraq, Nov. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban, File)

FILE - Election workers gather parliamentary election ballots after the polls closed in Baghdad, Iraq, Nov. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban, File)