Winnipeg 4-1 Nashville

Winnipeg leads series 1-0

The Central Division series is set to be a high-powered and exciting match-up. It has all the potential to be the most exciting series of the second round of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Game 1 started out a bit one-sided however with Nashville out-shooting the Jets 20-4 in the first period. Despite the shot discrepancy in the first frame of play the game had a pretty even pace to it, with the Jets jumping out to an early lead.

Brandon Tanev scored his second goal of the playoffs getting down low and cleaning up the rebound on Pekka Rinne. The goal came against the third defensive pairing of the Predators, a weak spot for Nashville, that the Jets should be looking to exploit as they get deeper into the series.

The Jets added to their lead in the second period with Paul Stastny scoring his second of the playoffs making it 2-0. At the time of the goal the Jets were being out-shot 29-8 by Nashville.

Mark Scheifele took a drop-off pass from Blake Wheeler and rifled one past Rinne to enhance Winnipeg’s lead to 3-0 with less than two minutes left in the second period.

Juuse Saros relieved Rinne of his duties to start the third period, after he gave up three goals on 16 shots and did not look like the Vezina candidate he is capable of being. The change may have sparked some life into Nashville as Kevin Fiala scored 1:23 into the period.

Scheifele would go on to add an empty netter to seal the Game 1 victory for the Jets and a 1-0 series lead. Warrior of the game nomination goes to Ryan Ellis who took Ben Chiarot’s skate to the side of his face, just missing his eye. Ellis did return to the game after getting stitched up.

Connor Hellebyuck was outstanding in this game facing a barrage of shots from the defending Western Conference Champions. He stopped 47 of 48 shots faced from the Predators and kept them in the game early creating the support they needed to find a way to capitalize when it mattered.

The Jets won their first second round playoff game in franchise history and they did it in impressive style. The win and Hellebyuck were outstanding but Winnipeg will need to find a way to limit Nashville’s offensive opportunities or the series could quickly turn on them.

Game 2 is set for Sunday at 5 p.m. MT from Nashville.