Blues hope hands-on exposure will help the team’s youngsters in Game 2
WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Class was in session for the Blues on Saturday, and they find themselves in a time of year where the final exams come pretty quick.
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series with the Winnipeg Jets is Monday night in Canada Life Centre, with the Blues looking to bounce back after a 5-3 loss in Game 1. The Blues led after two periods, then came apart in the third, giving up three goals (one an empty netter) while managing only two shots on goal.
The biggest lessons were for the Blues’ youngsters, Jake Neighbours, Zack Bolduc and Jimmy Snuggerud, who had never been in an NHL playoff game before. And like a lot of jobs, nothing teaches you faster than some hands-on exposure.
The Blues’ Jimmy Snuggerud, center, and Jets’ Adam Lowry, right, battle in a first-round NHL playoff game on Saturday, April 19, 2025, in Winnipeg.
John Woods, The Canadian Press via AP
“I don’t think it’s anything different than when your child doesn’t do their homework and they don’t hand in their book report on time,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said Sunday. “It’s like preparation, right? You have to go through it and understand the lack of preparation needed mentally to think about everything. Everyone is excited to play, and after the excitement is over, it comes down to controlling your emotions and staying in the moment. That’s something new for everybody when you go through it.”
Neighbours acknowledged he learned a lot in Game 1.
“I think you have a decent idea about what to expect,” he said, “but when you get in the moment there are a lot of emotions and the crowd’s that loud and the game’s being played at such a high rate and so physical, it’s tiring but it’s a lot of fun. I think just throughout the course of the game, staying calm, staying present and continuing to focus on the task at hand was the biggest thing I learned. Obviously emotions can get high with the atmosphere and how the game’s being played, so I think learning those are important.”
What did he learn?
“I think offensively learning ways to break them down,” he said, “seeing their habits, things like that. Obviously the video side of it, you can learn a lot and adjust that way and then I think just as players, a lot of young guys including myself who have never played in the playoffs, getting that experience last night, getting one game under our belts is going to make us more comfortable for Game 2. I think that’s only going to give more confidence, feel better about themselves and grow.”
Neighbours played 16:11, just slightly more than Snuggerud, and had an assist on Jordan Kyrou’s go-ahead goal in the third period. He had 12 penalty minutes, two for slashing in the first period that created the power play that got Winnipeg its first goal, and then a 10-minute misconduct in the slugfest that was the final minute after Winnipeg went up two goals.
That improvement is one of the things Montgomery and his team are trying to take from the game. If you take away the penalties on Neighbours and Bolduc, which abruptly ended a Blues power play and shifted the game’s momentum to the Jets, maybe the result comes out differently. And it seems unlikely that Bolduc will make the same mistake twice, cross checking Alex Iafallo after the whistle in the third period.
“I think you’ve just got to let them learn,” Montgomery said. “Listen, a lot of them made a lot of real good plays, too. It’s that balance. It’s the balance of learning the needed desperation that you need. We had it I thought in the beginning of the game and I don’t think we had it at the end of the game. That’s just the learning curve of staying with your game plan, and being on the road in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
“But there’s nothing like the emotion of a Stanley Cup playoff game. It was fantastic yesterday.”
The Blues are experienced on the blue line, where five of the six players Saturday were 31 or over (and one is 40) but of the 12 forwards in the lineup, five are 25 or younger. Four of the five youngest players in Game 1 were Blues.
“Some of our players are young,” Montgomery said. “We have 20- and 21-year olds. I don’t think Winnipeg has that in their lineup. Even a guy like Jake Neighbours, he’s 23 going through it for the first time, even though it’s his third year in the league. The exponential growth that they can have from game to game is really valuable to us. Besides that, our team is pretty veteran. We’ve got five guys that have won Cups. So, we’ve got to balance that experience with the youth and we’ve got to become the regular-season team we were in the last 26 games. We need to have that intent and purpose and the confidence starting tomorrow.”’
Experience alone won’t be the difference in the rest of series with the team that finished the season with the most points. The Blues have to get better in other ways, like getting the puck out of their own end, which befuddled them in the third period.
“I think there’s certain tactical things that we can look at that can help us for the next game,” defenseman Cam Fowler said, “and then just understanding that in order to have success in the playoffs, you have to sustain that momentum for 60 minutes, especially when you’re on the road and you’re playing against a really good team and in a difficult environment. So I was proud of our guys. I thought we fought hard. And it’s something that we can learn from and build off of that we were right there in a competitive hockey game. And next time we’re in that situation, hopefully we can get the job done.”
Hochman: To win come hell or high water, Blues need high shot volume on Hellebuyck
Some of the French speakers there might’ve pronounced the last two letters “vay” and “peh,” but the English chants overwhelmingly reverberated within Winnipeg’s Canada Life Centre, all the way into living rooms in ѿý.
“M-V-P! M-V-P!”
“That’s one of those things I’m going to remember for the rest of my life,” Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck told reporters of the chants before Game 1. “That was really cool.”
He did, after all, have the lowest goals against average (2.01) in the National Hockey League. He’s the reigning winner of the Vezina Trophy for the top goalie — and will likely win it again.
Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, second from left, saves a breakaway shot by the Blues’ Jordan Kyrou during the second period of an NHL playoff first-round game in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on Saturday, April 19, 2025.
JOHN WOODS, The Canadian Press via AP
But as Game 1 against ѿý played out on Saturday — and Hellebuyck allowed three goals on the Blues’ first 10 shots — I kept thinking of a line from a classic sports movie.
In “Rocky IV,” the protagonist boxer went to the USSR to fight the indomitable Ivan Drago. At first, the Russian pulverized Rocky. But then, Drago showed fatigue and Rocky got in some punches.
“You see!” Rocky’s trainer screamed from the corner. “He’s not a machine! He’s a man!”
So, yeah, even though the Blues blew Game 1, by the score of 5-3, they showed they can crack the wall that is Hellebuyck. That’s something. Quite a confidence boost for this series.
Of course, it doesn’t matter if they can’t get any shots on net.
Saturday’s third period (and really, much of the second) featured infuriating hockey. ѿý couldn’t get anything going offensively. Just two shots in the third! On a night that the game’s top goalie showed vulnerability, the Blues didn’t show the ability to rise up.
Credit the Jets. Strong defense. Talented team. President’s Trophy. All that stuff. But the Blues have fared well against many top teams in recent weeks — ѿý itself is a top team of late. But ѿý must fare better Monday night, because the Jets could be teetering on “Playoff Helle.”
That’s what — the experience when a good Jets team fails in the playoffs because Hellebuyck bucks his regular-season trends in the postseason.
Beginning in 2019, when the Blues beat the Jets, Winnipeg has made the playoffs every year but one, yet only won one series.
Two years ago, Hellebuyck had a 3.44 goals against average in the first round.
Last year, Hellebuyck had a 5.23 goals against average in the first round.
Five point two three!
So even after Saturday’s victory, I’m sure some Winnipegians are worried.
Now, others could flip my theory, based on Hellebuyck’s verbalized confidence. See, Hellebuyck did make a brilliant save on a Jordan Kyrou breakaway that prevented ѿý’ fourth goal. That would’ve been a game-changer. Instead, Hellebuyck told reporters after Game 1: “You just have to make one big save and that’s going to be the difference maker — I thought that was it. That being said, I felt good all night. I was just waiting to get some action. I thought we were controlling the play pretty well there. We played great and now we just have to move on to the next one and continue to do it.”
For the night, ѿý took those first 10 shots — which included the three goals — in the first 22 minutes. In the next 38, the Blues mustered seven shots. That’s unacceptable.
Defensively, Hellebuyck said of his third-period Jets: “I thought we just continued with our details, continued putting the pressure on and getting the puck deep and not turning it over in the right areas. When we’re holding the puck the whole time it makes it like that.”
Meanwhile, on the other end of the ice, Hellebuyck’s adversary looked like Hellebuyck in January.
Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington stops a shot by the Jets' Mason Appleton during the second period Saturday, April 19, 2025, in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
JOHN WOODS, The Canadian Press via AP
Jordan Binnington made save after save, while throwing in some impossible acrobatics — some Cirque du Binnington. As you likely read in Tom Timmermann’s dispatch from Manitoba, “Binner” and Hellebuyck were the goalies for Canada and America in the 4 Nations Face-Off. Canada scored in overtime off Hellebuyck to win the trophy. So, combine that with previous “Playoff Helle,” and there is quite a bit of pressure on the Winnipeg netminder.
In Game 1, the Blues scored high on him all three times — two glove side, one pad side. In all, three goals but 17 total shots. We’ve seen so much of Jim Montgomery’s mastery this season from behind the bench. The Blues coach must cook up something for Game 2 to generate more shots. To activate offensive aggressiveness.
Test Hellebuyck. Make him prove that the playoffs can actually be heavenly for Winnipeg.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Game 1 of the Blues-Jets playoff series started out physical and ended that way too.
The Blues were credited with 24 hits in the first period alone on the way to a total of 53 — almost one per minute — in their 5-3 loss to Winnipeg on Saturday. Brayden Schenn was credited with seven in the first period on his way to nine in the game, Jake Neighbours and Nathan Walker each with seven and Alexey Toropchenko with six.
The game ended with two separate brawls with nine players getting 10-minute misconducts, including both Schenn brothers, though in separate fights.
“I think any time you have Brayden Schenn on your team and you play the first game of a series, there’s going to be a lot of hits in the first period,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “Then I also think it’s just the excitement of playing. Guys have a lot of energy and that’s why the shifts were so short, too, because when you’re physical like that, you change in 35 seconds.”
“We knew they were going to be physical,” said Winnipeg forward Jaret Anderson-Dolan, “and I think they kind of even raised the level of what we thought. They came out flying there in that first 10 and kind of took the momentum. But I think like this group does, just kind of stayed even-keel and tried to ride out the wave. And obviously ended up getting it back and getting a big win.”
The Jets’ Dylan Samberg, top, Kyle Connor and Neal Pionk fight with the Blues’ Pavel Buchnevich and Robert Thomas during the third period of an NHL playoff first-round game in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on Saturday, April 19, 2025.
JOHN WOODS, The Canadian Press via AP
Fights in the first game of a playoff series are nothing new.
“That’s just two teams that are really competitive that are going hard right ’til the end of the game,” he said. “That’s just part of the Stanley Cup playoffs. If you compare it to 20 years ago, it’s nothing.”
Neighbours, Schenn and Pavel Buchnevich got sent to the dressing room with 19 seconds remaining and then Mathieu Joseph and Nathan Walker joined them with three seconds to go.
“Honestly I just saw Schenner got grabbed from behind by a guy so I grabbed (Mark) Scheifele to even it up” Neighbours said. “Then next thing you know, my head came out of a headlock and there were five guys fighting. That’s the emotions of hockey, especially Game 1. Players are trying to assert themselves in the series, teams are trying to be physical and have a presence that’s going to be around for a seven-game series. When you have that going on for 60 minutes and then you get a moment like that at the end of the game, frustrations are going to boil over. That’s just hockey, that’s how intense it is out there. So, we’re not really looking into it too much. We’ll regroup and refocus on Game 2.”
“I think it feels like every year Game 1 in each series, a bit of a bloodbath,” said Winnipeg center Adam Lowry. “Teams are both trying to assert their dominance. Everyone’s amped up. Our style of game is we want to be a fast forechecking team, heavy, hard to play against. But we don’t need to chase hits. I think anytime a team’s chasing hits you can get them out of position. You move the puck quick, you communicate that a guy’s coming, you can kind of avoid those. They played hard. They did a real good job of making it tough to get to the net. It was a real tight game, and it was nice to come out on top of that one.”
The two goaltenders, Jordan Binnington and Connor Hellebuyck, were left out of the festivities.
“A goalie fight in playoffs would be dumb,” said Hellebuyck. “That would just be dumb.”
Top line showdown
The Blues’ top line of Neighbours, Robert Thomas and Buchnevich was often matched up against Winnipeg’s top line of Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele and Alex Iafallo. The Jets’ line scored the critical third and fourth goals. Montgomery said he thought the Thomas line did well offensively, but needed to be “a little sharper and a little quicker” on defense.
“The third goal really bothers me because that’s our team defense not executing,” Montgomery said. “The fourth goal, to me, sometimes the other team makes a high-end play and that’s a high-end play made by two high-end players. That’s going to happen. It’s like the only way to stop Michael Jordan is to let Dean Smith coach him. You’re not going to stop him besides that. He’s going to get his looks, and we’re going to get our looks. Analytically, we had our looks as well with our top line.”
“There were a couple of shifts in the second period,” Neighbours said, “I remember our line was out there, they had some looks through the seams and stuff like that. Connor had a couple of good looks in the second. But that’s going to happen. They’re high-end players who have been here, played in the playoffs and understand the emotions, the highs and lows of it. So they’re very experienced players, guys who have been around for a long time and they’re going to get their looks.”
Post-Dispatch Blues beat reporter Matthew DeFranks joined columnist Jeff Gordon to discuss the team’s charge into the postseason and its chances against Winnipeg.
ѿý Post-Dispatch
WINNIPEG, MANITOBA — Game 1 of the Blues-Jets playoff series was a learning experience for a lot of young players on the Blues, who had little exposure to the intensity of postseason hockey or an atmosphere like that in Canada Life Centre on Saturday night, and captain Brayden Schenn admitted afterward, for some of the older players too.
But for the Blues, the game could have been much more than just a lesson in playoff hockey.
The Blues took a 3-2 lead into the third period of Game 1 but couldn’t hold it and lost to Presidents’ Trophy winning Winnipeg 5-3. The Jets got the game-winning goal with 1:36 to play, after an icing call brought the puck back into the Blues’ zone and Kyle Connor, who took 11 shots in the game, finally put one in. Winnipeg then added an empty-net goal before the game finished with a medley of fights that led to nine 10-minute misconduct penalties. Game 2 is Monday.
“All in all, I thought it was a really good hockey game,” coach Jim Montgomery said. “But we are going to grow and we are going to get better from this. That’s what we have to do. If we want to make it a series, we’re going to have to get better. We’re going to have to control our emotions better. We’re going to have to manage the puck better. We’re going to have to win more battles.
“It’s a little bit of execution and it’s a little bit of getting used to the Stanley Cup playoffs. We’ve got a fairly young team out there, a lot of guys playing in their first game in the Stanley Cup playoffs. So that’s why I know we will get better from it.”
“(We’ll) learn from our mistakes, and we’re going to be better,” said Schenn.
The Blues scored three goals on likely Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck on 10 shots in the first 22 minutes, then managed seven shots in the ensuing 38 minutes. In the third period, they had two shots on goal, one of which came with 13 seconds to play. Much of the Blues’ time was spent in their own end as they struggled to get the puck up ice.
“I think they obviously forechecked us well,” Schenn said, “and I think we’re going to be a little bit better executing our breakouts and winning lines and getting to our forecheck game. So we’re going to give them credit, they did a good job in the third period.”
And the Blues didn’t.
“I didn’t think we managed the game very well in the third period,” Montgomery said. “Penalties. Puck management. A little bit of our emotions.”
Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington stops a shot by the Jets’ Alex Iafallo (9) during the third period of an NHL playoff first-round game in Winnipeg on Saturday, April 19, 2025.
JOHN WOODS, The Canadian Press via AP
And yet the Blues nearly won. Robert Thomas put the Blues up 1-0 and after Winnipeg scored twice on shots that deflected into the net, the first off the Blues’ Ryan Suter, the second off two Winnipeg sticks. Oskar Sundqvist tied the game late in the first period, and early in the second period, Jordan Kyrou put the Blues ahead on a power-play goal, and that’s the way it stayed until the third period, though Kyrou had a breakaway late in the second that was stopped by Hellebuyck and clearly left Kyrou frustrated at the missed opportunity.
That set the scene for the third period, which was dominated by Winnipeg and eventually led to the tying and winning goals.
Another lesson to definitely learn is about taking penalties. Jake Neighbours, playing in his first playoff game, was called for slashing as he skated back to the bench, which led to a power play and Winnipeg’s first goal, and Zack Bolduc was called for cross checking after a stoppage.
Bolduc’s penalty came at a critical moment. The Blues were on a power play, which was one of few offensive things they did well, in the third period. They had spent the first 1:22 of the power play creating chances and applying pressure, and then Bolduc’s penalty abruptly ended that.
“We can’t take that penalty in the playoffs,” Montgomery said. “I do know that. I thought we killed the penalty pretty good. I can’t say it built momentum for them, but it took us from a situation where I thought we were a little bit in control and then we weren’t.”
“Yeah, that’s just emotion,” said Schenn of the penalties in general. “You know, first game, and we know better than that, they know better than that. And at the end of the day you’ve just got to be a little bit in control of your emotions a little bit more, and at the end of the day we’ll clean that up and we’ll play them five on five.”
A lesson for the young players?
“A lesson for everyone,” said Schenn. “We’ll be fine for next game, and obviously game one, a lot of emotion with the build-up.”
“It’s another level from regular season in the playoffs,” said Sundqvist, who in addition to scoring set a screen that made Kyrou’s goal possible. “I’m sure they were full nerves throughout this first game. I think it’s very good for them to get this first game over with and done. I think they’re going to be building off of this and get more comfortable the longer we go.
The Blues scored on two of three power plays, scoring on all but the interrupted one, while stopping Winnipeg, which had the best power play in the regular season, on three of its four power plays.
“Yeah I think we played a good game,” goaltender Jordan Binnington said, “maybe not even our best game and we were right in there. We’ve got a lot of belief in this room and it’s time to reset and focus.”
Photos: Blues drop playoff opener to Jets in Winnipeg
ѿý Blues' Ryan Suter (22) defends against Winnipeg Jets' Adam Lowry (17) during first-period NHL hockey playoff first-round action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
JOHN WOODS
ѿý Blues' Oskar Sundqvist (70) celebrates after his goal against the Winnipeg Jets during first-period NHL hockey playoff first-round action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
JOHN WOODS
ѿý Blues' Robert Thomas celebrates after his goal against the Winnipeg Jets during first-period NHL hockey playoff first-round action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
JOHN WOODS
Winnipeg Jets' David Gustafsson (19) and ѿý Blues' Zack Bolduc (76) collide during first period NHL playoff action in Winnipeg on Saturday, April 19, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
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The Blues’ Jimmy Snuggerud, center, and Jets’ Adam Lowry, right, battle in a first-round NHL playoff game on Saturday, April 19, 2025, in Winnipeg.
John Woods, The Canadian Press via AP
Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington stops a shot from the Jets’ Cole Perfetti during the first period of their NHL playoff series opener Saturday, April 19, 2025, in Winnipeg.
JOHN WOODS, The Canadian Press via AP
Winnipeg Jets' Alex Iafallo (9) looks on as Mark Scheifele's (55) shot gets past ѿý Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington (50) during first period NHL playoff action in Winnipeg on Saturday, April 19, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
JOHN WOODS
Winnipeg Jets' Neal Pionk (4) and ѿý Blues' Brayden Schenn (10) collide during first period NHL playoff action in Winnipeg on Saturday, April 19, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
JOHN WOODS
ѿý Blues' Cam Fowler (17), Robert Thomas (18), Zack Bolduc (76), Jimmy Snuggerud (21) and Pavel Buchnevich (89) celebrate after Thomas' goal against the Winnipeg Jets during first-period NHL hockey playoff first-round action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
JOHN WOODS
Winnipeg Jets' Mark Scheifele (55), Alex Iafallo (9), and Cole Perfetti (91) celebrate after Scheifele's goal against the ѿý Blues during first-period NHL hockey playoff first-round action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
JOHN WOODS
Winnipeg Jets' Jaret Anderson-Dolan (28) and Morgan Barron (36) celebrate after Barron's goal against the ѿý Blues during first-period NHL hockey playoff first-round action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
JOHN WOODS
Winnipeg Jets players celebrate Morgan Barron's (36) goal against the ѿý Blues during first period NHL playoff action in Winnipeg on Saturday, April 19, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
JOHN WOODS
ѿý Blues' Philip Broberg (6), Oskar Sundqvist (70) and Justin Faulk (72) celebrate after Sundqvist's goal against the Winnipeg Jets during first-period NHL hockey playoff first-round action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
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Fans celebrate Winnipeg Jets' Morgan Barron's goal against the ѿý Blues during first period NHL playoff action in Winnipeg on Saturday, April 19, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
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Winnipeg Jets' Dylan Samberg (54) breaks away from ѿý Blues' Mathieu Joseph (71) during second-period NHL hockey playoff action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
JOHN WOODS
Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, second from left, saves a breakaway shot by the Blues’ Jordan Kyrou during the second period of an NHL playoff first-round game in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on Saturday, April 19, 2025.
JOHN WOODS, The Canadian Press via AP
ѿý Blues' Cam Fowler (17) defends against Winnipeg Jets' Alex Iafallo (9) as Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington (50) saves a shot during second-period NHL hockey playoff action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
JOHN WOODS
Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington stops a shot by the Jets' Mason Appleton during the second period Saturday, April 19, 2025, in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
JOHN WOODS, The Canadian Press via AP
Winnipeg Jets' Luke Schenn (5) defends against ѿý Blues' Robert Thomas (18) as Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) saves the puck during second-period NHL hockey playoff action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
JOHN WOODS
Winnipeg Jets' Mason Appleton (22) and Adam Lowry (17) celebrate after Lowry's goal against the ѿý Blues during third-period NHL hockey playoff action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
JOHN WOODS
Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington stops a shot by the Jets’ Alex Iafallo (9) during the third period of an NHL playoff first-round game in Winnipeg on Saturday, April 19, 2025.
JOHN WOODS, The Canadian Press via AP
Winnipeg Jets' Mark Scheifele (55), Josh Morrissey (44), Kyle Connor (81) and Neal Pionk (4) celebrate Connor's game-winning goal against the ѿý Blues during third period NHL playoff action in Winnipeg on Saturday, April 19, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
JOHN WOODS
Winnipeg Jets' Alex Iafallo (9), Mark Scheifele (55), Josh Morrissey (44), Kyle Connor (81) and Neal Pionk (4) celebrate Connor's game-winning goal against the ѿý Blues during third period NHL playoff action in Winnipeg on Saturday, April 19, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
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Winnipeg Jets and ѿý Blues players fight at the end of third-period NHL hockey playoff action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
JOHN WOODS
Winnipeg Jets' Mason Appleton (22) and Adam Lowry (17) celebrate Lowry's goal against the ѿý Blues during third period NHL playoff action in Winnipeg on Saturday, April 19, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
JOHN WOODS
Winnipeg Jets' Dylan Samberg (54), Neal Pionk (4), Kyle Connor (81) Alex Iafallo (9) and Mark Scheifele (55) celebrate after Iafallo's goal against the ѿý Blues during third-period NHL hockey playoff action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
JOHN WOODS
The Jets’ Dylan Samberg, top, Kyle Connor and Neal Pionk fight with the Blues’ Pavel Buchnevich and Robert Thomas during the third period of an NHL playoff first-round game in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on Saturday, April 19, 2025.
JOHN WOODS, The Canadian Press via AP
Winnipeg Jets fans Kaev, Gerry, Blaine, Kerrin get warmed up at the White Out Party before the Winnipeg Jets meet the ѿý Blues in game one of NHL playoff action in Winnipeg on Saturday, April 19, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
JOHN WOODS
Winnipeg Jets fans Eddie, Charlene, Jenna and Erik get warmed up at the White Out Party before the Winnipeg Jets meet the ѿý Blues in game one of NHL playoff action in Winnipeg on Saturday, April 19, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
JOHN WOODS
Winnipeg Jets fans gather at the White Out Party before the Winnipeg Jets meet the ѿý Blues in game one of NHL playoff action in Winnipeg on Saturday, April 19, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
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A fan holds up a poster of Winnipeg Jets' Connor Hellebuyck before an NHL hockey playoff game between the Jets and the ѿý Blues in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
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ѿý Blues head coach Jim Montgomery talks to media at a post NHL round one playoff game press conference in Winnipeg on Saturday, April 19, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
