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It’s one win down and 15 more to go for the Winnipeg Jets in their quest to win the Stanley Cup.
The Jets scored three unanswered goals in the final frame for a 5-3 comeback win in Game 1 over the St. Louis Blues on Saturday at the Canada Life Centre.
Alex Iafallo tied the game midway through the third and Kyle Connor scored the go ahead goal with just 1:36 left in regulation as the Jets opened the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a victory for the one-nothing series lead.
Connor and Mark Scheifele each had a goal and two assists to lead the charge for Winnipeg.
The Jets looked very tentative in the first period, but found their footing in the middle frame and only got stronger in the third with three goals in the final eleven minutes, including an empty netter.
“The first period – I don’t know what it was, but kinda a feeling out for both teams,” said Connor. “I really thought the second period we got to our game.
“That’s Winnipeg Jets hockey where you’re rolling around the O-zone, getting possession, early changes, getting the next line out there, and keep doing it, and hemming teams in.”
The Blues registered 32 hits in the opening period, compared to only 14 for Winnipeg. But the Jets held St. Louis to just two shots on net in the final stanza as they outshot the Blues 9-2 to close out the game.
“I thought the first period we looked real nervous,” said Jets head coach Scott Arniel. “Just kinda trying to find our way, kept going and built it up in the second, but then stuck with it and really played well in the third.”
It’s the third straight playoff series the Jets have started with a win after also winning Game 1 in the first round the previous two seasons.
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“I just like that we didn’t start cheating the game,” said Jets captain Adam Lowry. “The structure was there once we settled into the game. And then we really limited their chances, didn’t give up a whole lot. I think that’s a good blueprint for success.”
Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck allowed three goals in the first 22 minutes of the series, but was flawless the rest of the way and made a key save on a breakaway in the late stages of the second period that would’ve put the Blues ahead by two goals.
“It’s not a whole lot of action,” said Hellebuyck. “It’s not a whole lot of feel. You just know you’re going to have to make at least one big save, and that’s going to be the difference maker, and I thought that was it.”
With three points Scheifele passed Blake Wheeler for the most career playoff points in franchise history.
“It’s obviously really cool,” said Scheifele. “To do it in front of the fans tonight was pretty special. That was a fun game to be a part of.”
The Blues only mustered eight shots on goal over the final forty minutes of the contest.
“Our habits weren’t very good tonight,” said Blues head coach Jim Montgomery. “Defensively – we weren’t very good tonight. We’ll grow. We’ll get better.”
Each team had only two shots on goal in the first nine minutes, but after Luke Schenn was assessed the first penalty of the series, the Blues capitalized. Cam Fowler knocked the puck to Robert Thomas in the faceoff circle and he picked the top corner on Hellebuyck with a perfect wrister and the Blues opened the scoring in the series.
The Jets quickly answered back on a power play of their own. Scheifele’s pass went off Ryan Suter’s stick and the puck deflected behind Jordan Binnington to even the score. It was Scheifele’s 39th career playoff point to tie Blake Wheeler for the most playoff points in franchise history.
Riding the wave of momentum with the sold out crowd back in it, Jaret-Anderson Dolan tipped in a Schenn shot less than two minutes later to give the Jets their first lead of the series. The goal was originally credited to Morgan Barron after the puck appeared to be re-directed twice.
It was a short-lived lead though as only three minutes later, a loose puck in the slot was sent in by Oskar Sundqvist for a four-goal first period. The shots were 9-7 for St. Louis in the opening period with the Blues registering 32 hits.
The Blues started the second period on a man advantage and Jordan Kyrou fired it past a screened Hellebuyck to give St. Louis the lead back.
Hellebuyck made a huge stop on a Kyrou breakaway in the final two minutes of the period. Winnipeg outshot them 10-6 in the middle frame.
The Blues held the lead until the 9:18 mark of the third period. From behind the net, Scheifele threw the puck in front and Iafallo flicked it past Binnington for the equalizer. Scheifele’s assist put him all alone atop the Jets all-time playoff points list.
With just 1:36 left in regulation and overtime looming, Connor slammed in a Scheifele pass for the go-ahead goal to send the building into a frenzy.
Adam Lowry scored into the empty net in the final minute to give the Jets a 5-3 triumph.
Hellebuyck only had to make 14 saves, while Binnington finished the night with 21 stops.
Game 2 is scheduled for Monday at 6:30 pm at the Canada Life Centre.
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