Jets trounce Predators to advance
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Winnipeg Jets are headed to the first Western Conference finals 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 on Thursday 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. Scheifele scored seven goals in Nashville in this series.
Connor Hellebuyck made 36 saves for Winnipeg, which won three of four games in Nashville.
The Jets host Vegas in Game 1 on Saturday 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.
Pekka Rinne, Nashville's Vezina Trophy finalist along with Hellebuyck, was chased for the third time in this series after giving up two goals on seven shots. He lasted just 10 minutes, seven 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 to meet in a series before a conference final.