Round one of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is wrapped up, which means one team was eliminated while the other advanced to the second round. The Winnipeg Jets clinched the series with a game seven, double overtime win over the St. Louis Blues to advance to the second round. With the Jets advancing, it is their first time finding themselves in the second round since the 2020-21 season.
Series Summary
Final Result: Winnipeg Jets win series 4-3
Game-by-Game:
Game 1: WPG 5 – STL 3 (WPG leads 1-0)
Game 2: WPG 2 – STL 1 (WPG leads 2-0)
Game 3: STL 7 – WPG 2 (WPG leads 2-1)
Game 4: STL 5 – WPG 1 (Series tied 2-2)
Game 5: WPG 5 – STL 3 (WPG leads 3-2)
Game 6: STL 5 – WPG 2 (Series tied 3-3)
Game 7: WPG 4 – STL 3 (WPG Wins 4-3)
Historic & Notable Milestone
- Cole Perfetti became the youngest player in NHL history to score a tying goal in the final three seconds of a game seven.
- Adam Lowry’s second overtime goal was the latest game seven goal in Jets franchise history (96:10 mark).
- Winnipeg’s comeback from two goals down in the final three minutes marked the first such comeback in game seven since 2011.
- Game seven between the St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets marked the longest game seven since the ‘Easter Epic’ back in 1987 between the New York Islanders and Washington Capitals, which extended into four overtimes.
- Neal Pionk’s 46:15 of ice time in game seven is the most among Winnipeg Jets defenseman in a playoff game.
Game-by-Game
Game 1: Jets Establish Early Control
The series opener was marked by a dominant performance by the Winnipeg Jets’ top stars, including a dramatic game-winning goal by Kyle Connor with 1:36 left to play. The Jets secured the 5-3 victory with Scheifele contributing three points (1G, 2A) and setting the tone for the series.
Game 2: Jets Win Defensive Battle
Game two was far closer than the first, but the Winnipeg Jets came together to battle, and the Jets would edge the Blues 2-1 after Kyle Connor scored the game-winning goal 1:43 into the third period.
Game 3: Hellebuyck Chased, Part One
Game three was a nightmare scenario for the Winnipeg Jets, who looked to go into the Blues’ building and take a commanding lead on the series, but that was not the case. The Blues piled on the goals and eventually chased Connor Hellebuyck out of the net after six goals. The Jets would fall to the Blues 7-2 on the road and that would be the tone setter in the Blues’ building for the remainder of the series.
Game 4: Hellebuyck Chased, Part Two
Game four was not any better for the Winnipeg Jets as they fell into the habits of game three. Connor Hellebuyck was pulled after five goals, and the Winnipeg Jets would fall in game four 5-1 and head back home tied up in the series.
Game 5: Redemption, But It Came at a Cost
Game five was the Jets’ redemption story. They ground out a 5-3 win, but they lost their number one centre, Mark Scheifele, in the process and later played the remainder of the series without him. This game would put the Blues on the brink of elimination, but it would take everything to get them out.
Game 6: Hellebuyck Chased, Part Three
With the series on the line and some potential rest around the corner for both teams, the St. Louis Blues went down swinging as they squeaked out a dominant 5-2 win that showcased their resiliency to the Jets’ big pushes. This set the stage for one last dance at the Canada Life Centre.
Game 7: Win or Go Home
The seventh and final game of the series put the bow on the Jets and Blues clash. The Winnipeg Jets would go down 2-0 early and get one back quickly on the power play to make it a 2-1 game, but the Blues kept fighting as they restored their two-goal lead to make it a 3-1 game. Dramatically, the Jets would score two goals in the final three minutes, including one with 2.2 seconds left to force overtime. The Jets would eventually win the series in seven games after a double overtime looked like it was headed for a third.
Team Stats
The Winnipeg Jets would have a rather hard time in the Stanley Cup playoffs in a few categories, but this shouldn’t be a big issue in the second round if they can put together an effort to string together wins.
Power Play: 22.7% – The Winnipeg Jets’ power play didn’t have the best run against St. Louis, but they came up in a big way as they scored twice in game seven in key moments to swing momentum in their favour.
Penalty Kill: 76.9% – The Winnipeg Jets will be looking to improve on their penalty kill as they posted a less-than-stellar performance for both special teams units. It will be something they have to clean up against the Dallas Stars in round two.
Face-Off Percentage: 47.8%
Goals For Per Game Played: 3.0
Goals Against Per Game Played: 3.86
What’s Next?
The Winnipeg Jets kick off their second-round matchup against the Dallas Stars at the Canada Life Centre on Wednesday, May 7th. Puck drop is set for 8:30 pm CST for both game one and two. Game two is set for Friday, May 9th.
ITR 39: Conference Finals – Inside The Rink
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