Note: The first night of the 2017-18 Stanley Cup Playoffs was a significant one for the Jets organization courtesy of a 3-2 win in front of a home crowd longing for a win. Three key young players all achieved significant first milestones (Scheifele -goal, Laine -goal, Hellebuyck -win) as they helped the organization secure the first ever playoff win for this franchise. This dates back 18 years since they began play as the Atlanta Thrashes during the 1999-2000 season with the first playoff victory coming in the ninth playoff game ever played. We’ve got some tremendous shots from both inside Bell MTS Place and out on our Instagram page (@illegalcurve) which you can see here. Today the Jets are scheduled to practice at 12 noon and the Jets Playoff Practice Report will bring you the latest including a potential update on Mathieu Perreault.
Note II: The Moose are in Cleveland, Ohio as they take on the Monsters in the first of two games tonight at Quicken Loans Arena. Puck drop is at 6 pm central. These next two contests are critical for a Manitoba squad sitting just a fraction ahead of Grand Rapids (.603% to .601%) for second in the Central Division trailing the Wolves in first with a .620 winning %.
Jets news:
Winnipeg Sun: Patrik Laine makes first goal count as Jets sniper ties game in 3rd. With Finnish media in the house it was inevitable he would step up on the big stage as we often joked that he would score when folks from his home country were covering the game.
Winnipeg Sun: Late goal by depth defenceman give Jets win in series opener. That certainly was a wacky and unexpected 3rd period. Ken recaps the game.
Winnipeg Sun: Jets erasing ghost of playoff past. I suspect most Winnipeggers won’t feel that way until they see the team win their eighth game of the playoffs, something no NHL based Jets team has ever done.
Winnipeg Free Press: Unsung D-man Morrow plays hero for Jets. (Paywall). Sometimes it isn’t the players you expect to rise up and get the big goal. Morrow was very insightful following the game. Mike breaks it all down with this recap.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence
Winnipeg Free Press: Hits were happening in Game 1. (Paywall). I joked that Dustin Byfuglien just hit Joel Eriksson Ek so hard he is now just going by Joel Eriksson. That was followed by Mathieu Perreault getting smoked by Wild captain Miika Koivu. Looks like (Not so) Friendly Manitoba vs Minnesota (not so) Nice is alive after one game.
Winnipeg Free Press: Wild storm is brewing in Winnipeg. It was an incredible atmosphere both inside Bell MTS Place and out as thousands of fans took over Donald Street to party like it was 1999. Plenty of great photos in this gallery.
Sportsnet: Unlikely hero Joe Morrow etches himself in Jets playoff lore. You really got the sense how happy his teammates were for him following last night’s contest.
Sportsnet: ‘Bad blood begins’ in physical Game 1 between Jets, Wild. Two friendly places aren’t so friendly anymore. Paul Stastny said earlier this week you need a playoff series to really create that rivalry and after seeing last night’s game you can understand what he meant by his comments.
CBC: Joe Morrow thrust into spotlight after Game 1 heroics. You really got the sense talking to him after the game that he relished the opportunity and just how impactful his first Whiteout was.
CBC: Jets fans explode as team wins 1st ever playoff game. It was a phenomenal idea to have the party on Donald and fans totally embraced it.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence
The Athletic Winnipeg: Jets’ fourth line brings back memories of another impactful line from playoffs past. (Paywall). Not a bad line to be compared to considering what they were able to accomplish in Detroit.
The Athletic Minnesota: Storm was late, but no less fierce as Jets find their game and beat Wild in Game 1. (Paywall). A recap of the game from a beat writer that covers Minnesota.
Jets video:
TSN: Playoff stage not too big for Laine. Dave Poulin and Darren Dreger discuss the Jets’ resiliency in the third period to take Game 1 against the Wild, how Patrik Laine was able to carry over his scoring touch into the postseason, and the physical impact Winnipeg’s fourth line made to set the tone.
TSN: Jets show resolve instead of panic after falling behind. As Craig Button explains, because the Jets are led by their older players, they don’t put themselves in a position where they feel anxious or tighten up their play, which led to their dominance in the third period after falling behind. Button also discusses Patrik Laine’s big tying goal and what makes Winnipeg’s power play so dangerous.
TSN: Young Jets show they can handle playoff pressure. After falling behind early in the third period, instead of worrying and tightening up, the Jets outshot the Wild 16-1 and scored twice, showing they can handle the pressures of playoff hockey. The TSN Hockey panel has more.
