Going to the Winnipeg Jets in the quest to win the Stanley Cup is one victory and another 15 wins.
The Jets scored three unanswered goals in the final frame to get a 5-3 comeback victory in Game 1 at the St. Louis Blues at the Canada Life Centre on Saturday.
Alex Iafarro tied the game midway through the third, and Kyle Connor scored Go Unger's goal with 1:36 left in regulation as the Jets won the One Northing Series lead and opened the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Connor and Mark Siefele each had goals and two assists to lead Winnipeg's charge.
The Jets looked very tentative in the first period, but found scaffolding in the middle frame and got stronger with the third goal with three goals in the final 11 minutes, including an empty netter.
“The first period – I don't know what it is, but it's a bit of a feeling for both teams,” Connor said. “We really thought of a second period when we got to the game.
“It's Winnipeg Jets hockey, rolling around the O-Zone, taking ownership, changing early, getting the next line, keeping it doing it, hemming the team.”
The Blues had 32 hits in the opening period, compared to just 14 in Winnipeg. However, the Jets closed the game by taking St. Louis two-shots on the net in the final stanza, surpassing the Blues 9-2.
“I thought I was really nervous during the first period,” Jets head coach Scott Arniel said. “We were trying to find our way a bit, we kept going second and built it, but we stuck to it and played really well in the third.”
This is the third consecutive playoff series that began with a victory after the Jets won Game 1 in the first round of the past two seasons.
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“We liked that we didn't start to fool the game,” Jets captain Adam Lowry said. “The structure was there as we settled into the game. And we really limited their opportunities and didn't give up much. I think that's a good blueprint for success.”
Jets goaltender Connor Helebuick allowed three goals in the first 22 minutes of the series, but the rest was perfect, leaving the keys over breakaway in the second half of the second period, where the Blues advance with two goals.
“That's not a lot of action,” Helebuick said. “It's not that much of a touch. You know you have to make at least one big save. That's going to be the maker of the difference, and I thought it was.”
On three points, Scheifele passed Blake Wheeler for the most career playoff points in franchise history.
“It's obviously really cool,” Seafele said. “It was pretty special to do that in front of the fans tonight. It was a fun game to get into.”
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The Bruce only collected eight shots in the finish line in the final 40 minutes of the contest.
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“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 only had two shots in goal in the first nine minutes, but the Blues were capitalized after Lukeshen evaluated the first penalty of the series. Cam Fowler knocked the puck on Robert Thomas in the face-off circle, and he chose the top corner of Hellebuick with the perfect lister, and Bruce opened up the series score.
The Jets immediately answered their power play. Scheifele's pass missed the Ryan Suter's Stick and the pack deflected behind Jordan Binnington to score. It was Sheifele's 39th career playoff point to tie Blake Wheeler together for the most playoff point in franchise history.
Riding on the wave of momentum as the sold-out crowd returned, Jarrett Anderson-Dolan put Shenshot in Shunshot two minutes later to give the Jets the first lead in the series. This goal was originally credited to Morgan Baron after it appeared that Puck had been re-supervised twice.
Just three minutes later, the loose pack of slots was sent for the first period of four goals. The shot was 9-7 for St. Louis during the opening period, with the Blues having 32 hits.
Bruce began his second season with a man's advantage, and Jordan Kirou gave St. Louis the lead past the screened Helebuick.
Hellebuyck made a major stop on Kyrou's breakaway in the last two minutes of the period. Winnipeg surpasses 10-6 in the middle frame.
The Bruce held the lead until the 9:18 mark in the third period. From behind the net, Scheifele threw the puck forward and Iafallo flicked past Binnington for an equalizer. Scheifele's assist placed him alone on the Jets' best playoff point list of all time.
Regulations remained at just 1 o'clock, and with overtime coming close, Connor hit Schaefele's pass and achieved his goal of plunging the building into frenzy.
Adam Lowry was recorded in the empty net in the final minute, giving the Jets a 5-3 victory.
Hellebuyck only saved 14, and Binnington finished the night with a 21 stop.
Game 2 is scheduled for 6:30pm on Monday at Canada Life Centre.
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