Jets extend magical run
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Winnipeg Jets are headed to the first Western Conference final in their short history after knocking off the NHL’s best team in the regular season.
Tyler Myers and Paul Stastny scored 2:06 apart in the first period, and the Jets stunned the Nashville Predators, 5-1, last night in their first Game 7 — continuing an amazing run for a team swept in its previous two playoff appearances.
Stastny finished with a second goal and an assist, and Mark Scheifele also had two goals. Blake Wheeler and Kyle Connor each had two assists.
Connor Hellebuyck made 36 saves for Winnipeg, which won three of four games in Nashville after missing the Presidents’ Trophy by three points to the Predators.
The Jets now host Vegas in Game 1 tomorrow night in a conference final nobody could’ve predicted when this season started.
P.K. Subban scored for Nashville, now the ninth Presidents’ Trophy winner in 10 years not to win the Stanley Cup.
The best season in Predators history ended earlier than a year ago, but in the same fashion on their own ice. They lost to Pittsburgh in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup finals last June.
Pekka Rinne, Nashville’s Vezina Trophy finalist along with Hellebuyck, was chased for the third time in the series after giving up two goals on seven shots. He lasted just 10 minutes, 7 seconds for the quickest exit by a starting goalie in a Game 7.
These teams combined for 231 points in the regular season, making this series the two best teams on points ever to meet in a series before a conference final. This was the third Game 7 all-time for Nashville with a big edge in experience over the Jets playing on this stage.
Nashville also brought out the star power once again with Sheryl Crow singing the U.S. anthem and former NFL Titans running back Eddie George waving the towel to rev up the crowd. A couple catfish hit the ice before the puck dropped.
The Predators took five of the first six shots, then the Jets stunned the crowd. Myers squeezed a wrister between the post and Rinne’s left skate for a 1-0 lead at 8:40 of the first. Then Stastny put a backhander off Rinne and into the net 2:06 later for a 2-0 lead on just seven shots.
Nashville coach Peter Laviolette didn’t hesitate and pulled Rinne for Juuse Saros, trying to snap the Predators out of a slow start while saving his timeout.