CHICAGO -- As far as the Winnipeg Jets are concerned, they're not intimidated by the Western Conference-leading Chicago Blackhawks.

Behind 34 saves from Connor Hellebuyck and first-period goals from Blake Wheeler and Mark Scheifele, Winnipeg defeated Chicago for the third time this season, 3-1 on Tuesday night at the United Center.

"We're aware of who they have over there. They're sitting atop of our conference right now. Won three Cups in, whatever it is, seven years," Wheeler said. "As a team, you want to come into this building and run 'em and gun 'em. We've tried doing that before and it doesn't work."

Hellebuyck has been perhaps the biggest reason for the Jets' success against their division rival so far. He has denied 86 of 88 shots with a shutout among the three victories over the Blackhawks, and with his 13th win, also matched his total from last season when he shared time in net with Michael Hutchinson and Ondrej Pavelec.

"It's the team in front of me. They always play really well. They get a piece of everything, slows down the game and ruins their flow," Hellebuyck said.

Drew Stafford scored early in the third period for Winnipeg (17-17-3), which has won four of its last five.

Artem Anisimov returned for Chicago (22-10-5) after missing three games with an upper-body injury to post his 15th goal, but the Blackhawks have lost three in a row for the first time this season.

"They got the early lead and they did what they needed to do," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said of the Jets.

Chicago played without Marian Hossa, who was placed on injured reserve earlier on Tuesday with an upper-body injury. The 37-year-old Hossa leads the team with 16 goals.

Corey Crawford turned away 31 shots before being pulled for an extra attacker with about three minutes to play, but lost for the second time in as many games after missing 10 following an appendectomy. It was his first home loss in regulation since Oct. 12.

Each team fired 13 shots on goal in the opening period, but the Jets were the only team to make some of them count.

Wheeler opened the scoring for Winnipeg 8:27 into the game when he tucked in a rebound of a drive from Jacob Trouba for his third goal in four games and 11th of the season.

It marked the seventh time in nine games that Chicago has surrendered the first goal.

Scheifele scored less than seven minutes later when he tipped Trouba's blast from just inside the blue line past Crawford's left shoulder for his first goal in seven games and 15th on the season.

The Jets nearly scored again with 30.7 seconds to play in the period, but Adam Lowry's shot rang off the crossbar.

Anisimov drew Chicago within a goal at 7:36 of the second. Patrick Kane took a long pass from Artemi Panarin and fed Anisimov, who backhanded the puck past a sprawling Hellebuyck for his fourth goal in five games.

"I think our line especially probably could have shot the puck a little more tonight, instead of looking for that extra pass," Kane said.

Panarin now has five goals and nine assists in a career-high eight-game points streak. Kane's assist leaves him two shy of 700 points for his career.

Crawford kept it a 2-1 game when he denied former Blackhawk Dustin Byfuglien on a breakaway with 4:38 remaining in the period.

The Jets missed out on two chances late to score into an empty net. With 2:33 to play, rookie star Patrik Laine fired a shot off a goalpost. Shortly after that, Nikolaj Ehlers' shot went wide.

Chicago's last gasp came with 1:06 left. Panarin tried a one-timer off a pass from Duncan Keith, but his stick broke.

The teams will meet again on Jan. 26 in Chicago.

"We play these guys hard and they seem to bring out the best in us. ... We seem to bring our 'A' game when we come into this building," Wheeler said.

NOTES: Chicago scratched D Michal Kempny, RW Jordin Tootoo and D Michal Rozsival. ... Scratched for Winnipeg were D Mark Stuart, C Andrew Copp, LW Brandon Tanev, RW Chris Thorburn and C Alexander Burmistrov. ... The Blackhawks resumed play after the NHL's Christmas break with the third-fewest penalty minutes (238). The Jets were eighth with 375. ... Chicago opens a three-game road trip Thursday against the Nashville Predators. ... Winnipeg starts a two-game home stretch Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets.