Jets looking for more in front of home fans versus Nashville
Wheeler leads the way as Winnipeg erases early deficit to prevail
WINNIPEG — Blake Wheeler scored on the power play with 4:59 to play as the Winnipeg Jets roared back from an early 3-0 deficit to defeat the Nashville Predators 7-4 on Tuesday and grab a 2-1 lead in their second-round playoff series.
After missing a number of earlier chances, the Jets captain buried a rebound off a Mark Scheifele shot from a tight angle for his second of the post-season.
Dustin Byfuglien had two goals and an assist for Winnipeg, while Paul Stastny added a goal and two assists.
Wheeler also had an assist and added the empty-netter with under a minute to play. Brandon Tanev also scored with Pekka Rinne on the bench to round out a wicked come-from-behind win.
Jacob Trouba netted Winnipeg’s other goal and also had a helper for a two-point night. Connor Hellebuyck made 26 stops.
Filip Forsberg and P.K. Subban each had a goal and an assist for Nashville, while Mike Fisher and Auston Watson also scored.
Mattias Ekholm and Ryan Johansen both chipped in with two assists for the Preds, who got 38 stops from Rinne.
Game 4 of the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal goes Thursday in Winnipeg before the scene shift back to Nashville for Game 5 on Saturday. Nashville blew a 3-0 lead after the opening 20 minutes to trail 4-3 through two periods, but levelled the score at 7:40 of the third when Forsberg wheeled across the top of the slot on the power play and fired upstairs for his fifth goal of the playoffs.
Winnipeg got its third man advantage of the third with 5:59 left when Subban went off for high-sticking after failing to clear the puck twice late in a previous Jets power play before Wheeler scored the winner.
Winnipeg’s Kyle Connor missed on a breakaway that would have sealed it on another man advantage.
The Jets opened the series with a 4-1 win in Nashville before the Predators picked up a 5-4 double overtime victory in Game 2.