The Winnipeg Jets jumped out to an early lead in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final Saturday night and never looked back.
The home team treated their fans to a commanding 4-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights, giving the expansion club their first series deficit of the postseason.
However, there are still games to be won. In fact, the Golden Knights could very well have the series knotted up heading home for Game 3 if they make a few adjustments for Monday night.
Play more disciplined
This is not necessarily a knock on the number of penalties the Golden Knights took in Game 1, it has more to do with how lethal the Jets' power play was.
The Jets went 2-for-4 with the man advantage, firing six shots while wearing down the Vegas penalty killers. The Jets have proven that they have players capable of unleashing cannons when they set up properly in the offensive zone, and we got a taste of that in Game 1 through one-timers from Patrik Laine and Dustin Byfuglien (Byfuglien's goal was at even strength).
The Golden Knights surprisingly outchanced Winnipeg at even strength on Saturday night, proving it is imperative to keep the game played at five-on-five if they plan to counter the Jets' attack. If not, the Jets - who boast the third-most potent power play in the playoffs - will make quick work of the Golden Knights.
Get more pucks to Hellebuyck
As was mentioned above, the Golden Knights won the battle at five-on-five with a Corsi For of 54.05 percent to Winnipeg's 45.95 percent.
The problem is, Vegas struggled to get pucks into high-danger scoring areas, and even more so, struggled to actually get pucks on Connor Hellebuyck. The Golden Knights were outshot 26-21 in the game, but had an additional 22 shots blocked by the Jets, which is just too easy for a Vezina Trophy nominee.
As the chart shows below, the Jets did a mighty fine job of keeping the Golden Knights away from Hellebuyck, preventing them from getting any sustainable pressure in front of the net.
The Jets had 70 percent of the high-danger scoring chances in Game 1. However, the Golden Knights had the advantage in scoring chances overall (55.5 percent), meaning, quite simply, the Jets did a much better job of closing the gap against the speedy Vegas offense.
So, whether the Golden Knights execute a stronger cycle game to wear down Winnipeg's defenders and open up quality chances, or resort to picking their shots better, the fact is, with the Jets' offense connecting like it has of late, Vegas needs to find a way to counter in order to make the jobs of the Jets' defenders more difficult.
Grind the Jets down early
The Golden Knights need to play some ugly hockey early in Game 2.
The Jets lived up to their name in Game 1 and came out soaring. Before Vegas had any idea what was going on, they were down 1-0 and things rapidly snowballed from there.
What's worse - and has been well documented - MTS Place crowd is among the loudest in the league and the arena can become an intimidating place to play when the Jets give them something to cheer about.
This is where Vegas can benefit from limiting chances in their own zone and, more specifically, working the Jets in the opposite end of the rink. If they can find a way to start the game in Winnipeg's end and work the Jets' defenders down - as we saw them do to the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks in the first two rounds - and possibly squeak out the first goal of the game, then we will most certainly see a different atmosphere.
MTS Place can be a nasty beast for the opposition when the crowd is as deafening as they were in Game 1, but what can be equally as haunting is when it's dead silent.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) Dustin Byfuglien scored about a minute after the puck dropped and the Winnipeg Jets built a three-goal lead early in the first period and went on to beat the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 on Saturday night in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.
Patrik Laine and Joel Armia had goals 46 seconds apart to put the Jets up 3-0. Mark Scheifele gave Winnipeg a 4-1 lead midway through the second period with his 12th goal this postseason.
Brayden McNabb scored midway through the first and William Karlsson late in the second period to pull Vegas within two, but the expansion team couldn't get closer.
Winnipeg's Connor Hellebuyck made 18 saves. Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 22 shots for the Golden Knights.
The Jets will host Game 2 on Monday night before the series shifts to Las Vegas.
Winnipeg, which is making its deepest playoff run in franchise history, appeared to be in rhythm less than 48 hours after advancing past top-seeded Nashville.
Vegas, meanwhile, seemed rusty after resting for nearly a week after eliminating San Jose in the second round.
Or, maybe the Jets are just that good.
Winnipeg's fast, deep and talented team had 114 points this season, trailing only the Predators' league-high total by three points.
The hard-charging, smooth-passing Jets put the Pacific Division champions on their heels right from the start and didn't relent.
White-clad, towel-twirling raucous fans in the arena - and packed on surrounding streets - were fired up before the game started. And, they were given plenty of opportunities to celebrate in the opening minutes.
Byfuglien's slap shot 1:05 into the game off a drop pass from Scheifele put Winnipeg up 1-0. That ignited the party-like atmosphere in a relatively cozy arena with just 16,345 seats and a low ceiling.
Fleury had no shot to stop Laine's one-timer from the left circle off Wheeler's cross-ice pass on a power play at the 6:49 mark of the first. Armia had a goal waved off less than a minute later only to have it restored by a challenge, which overturned the goaltender interference call on the ice.
After the flurry of goals early, the Jets were able to possess the puck for much of the game to cut down on Vegas' comeback chances.
The Golden Knights pulled Fleury to add an extra skater late in the game, but had to put him back on the ice because there was a faceoff near him. They sent him to the bench again and had some chances to pull within one, but the shot-blocking Jets didn't let the puck get to Hellebuyck much.
NOTES: The last time two teams were in the NHL conference finals for the first time was 2003 when Anaheim swept Minnesota. ... Scheifele has four more goals than any player still in the postseason. ... Fleury has given up at least three goals for the fifth time in six games.
St. Louis Blues prospect Jordan Kyrou was awarded the Red Tilson Trophy on Saturday, recognizing him as the Ontario Hockey League's player of the year.
A Most Outstanding Season.@JordanKyrou earned @StingHockey’s first Red Tilson Trophy with an #OHL best 1.95 points-per-game.
The Sarnia Sting forward racked up an incredible 39 goals and 109 points in just 56 games - good for 1.95 points-per-game.
He put himself on the map with an impressive performance at the 2018 World Junior Hockey Championship, collecting 10 points in seven games as Canada took home the gold medal.
The 20-year-old could very well find himself on the Blues' season-opening roster come October.
The Winnipeg Jets scored their third marker of the game before the 10-minute point of the first period despite the fact that the goal was originally waived off due to goaltender interference.
In fact, two reviews took place: one to see if Joel Armia kicked the puck in the net, and then another to see if he interfered with goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. Both rulings turned out in Winnipeg's favor, and the Jets took an early three-goal lead as a result.
Nashville Predators players are heading to Denmark in flocks like the swallows of Capistrano.
On Friday, the team announced seven of its players would head overseas to take part in the World Championship, but TSN's Ryan Rishaug is reporting one more player is on his way.
New Westminster, British Columbia native Kyle Turris has been added to Canada's roster and will join the team in a few days, per Rishaug.
Turris has a wealth of international experience, most recently at the 2014 World Championship, in which he potted three goals and added three helpers in eight games.
In a season split between the Ottawa Senators and the Predators, Turris collected 51 points in 76 games.
The Canadians suffered their second loss in the tournament, losing in stunning fashion, 5-1, to Finland. The game saw Canada take 11 minor penalties, a number that Ekblad equates to the opposition diving.
Ekblad when asked abt Can lacking discipline in loss to Fin. Accused Finns of diving, “diving isn’t part of the game. I think it’s cowardly”
Finland converted two power-play chances, both coming in the first period. But while Ekblad feels playacting played a role in the result, it's worth noting the Finns also took eight minor penalties of their own.
Canada was decimated on Saturday, falling to team Finland by a score of 5-1.
Goaltending proved to be an issue for the Canadians, as Curtis McElhinney was pulled after allowing three goals, and Darcy Kuemper didn't fare much better upon his entry into the game, giftingEeli Tolvanen a fourth goal for the Fins.
While Canada's play in the crease is certainly concerning, that wasn't the sole reason it lost. It only managed to score once against journeyman netminder Harri Säteri. Canada's struggles to generate scoring chances likely come from its inability to stay out of the penalty box, as it collected 22 minutes in penalties.
Mikko Rantanen, Teuvo Teravainen, and Tolvanen were the offensive catalysts for the Finns, combining for four goals and two assists.
Canada will close out the round robin on Monday and Tuesday with games against Latvia and Germany before the medal round begins.
