The Winnipeg Jets advanced to the conference final for the first time in franchise history with a thrilling Game 7 victory.
The Jets got out to an early lead and held on for a 5-1 win over the Nashville Predators on Thursday at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. The win gave the Jets a 4-3 series victory, eliminating the NHL’s top team in the regular season.
Trade deadline acquisition Paul Stastny led the way for the Jets with two goals and an assist in the win.
“As you get later in your career you just got to enjoy these moments.” Stastny told reporters.
“You’re going to have some guys that get nervous out there and that’s fine. But it’s our job, older guys, veteran guys, to go out there and try to be looser and make everyone comfortable. After the puck drop, or after the first 5 minutes or 10 minutes you try to get the crowd out of it. But a building like this the crowd is going to be in it the whole game. So in a sense it keeps you on your toes the whole time, but I thought as a team we played good.”
Mark Scheifele also scored a pair while Blake Wheeler and Kyle Connor each recorded two assists.
“I think right now we’re just thrilled to move on.” Wheeler said. “We’re pretty pleased to knock off a team like Nashville. That was every bit the series we expected it to be.”
“I think nights like tonight you try to really soak it in and enjoy it, and then wake up tomorrow and get ready for a big game on Saturday.”
Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck was at his best as he made 36 saves.
With the game seven victory the Jets ended up winning three of the four games in Nashville.
“The telling stat in this series for me is we played four games in here and never lost in regulation.” head coach Paul Maurice said. “The two things that we wanted to do in this game, one was play fast. You’ve heard me say that enough times, but also enjoy playing the game. Make plays and play with some confidence and some courage and we looked like that right from the start.”
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Stastny and Tyler Myers scored first-period goals to give Winnipeg an early lead. Predators head coach Peter Laviolette pulled starting goalie Pekka Rinne midway through the first period after he allowed a pair of weak goals. He was replaced by Juuse Saros.
After Connor was given a questionable cross-checking penalty late in the opening period, PK Subban blasted in the point shot for the powerplay goal to bring the Preds within one.
Winnipeg had countless scoring chances in the middle stanza. They finally broke through with 2:10 left in the period as Scheifele buried a pass from Wheeler to put the Jets back up by two goals.
Stastny sealed the deal with his second goal of the game with eight minutes remaining in the final frame. He whacked in the rebound on the powerplay to put the Jets up by three. Scheifele scored his second goal of the game into the empty net as the Jets secured their second series win of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The victory moves the Jets into the final four and they’ll open the Western Conference Final against the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday at Bell MTS Place. The opening faceoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT. Game 2 is Monday night before the series moves to Las Vegas for Game 3 on Wednesday.
The Tampa Bay Lightning will face the Washington Capitals in the Eastern Conference Final starting on Friday.
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