The Winnipeg Jets set the tone early on Tuesday night, controlling the neutral zone and stifling the Vegas Golden Knights in a dominant 5-1 win in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.
Adam Lowry scored twice, and Blake Wheeler tallied three points in a defensive performance that saw the Jets limit Vegas to just 17 shots on goal, their lowest total all season. The Jets shut down the Golden Knights in the third period, allowing only two shots on goal.
“A key part of our game is pressuring the puck carrier and not giving them time to make plays,” said Jets coach Rick Bowness. “Vegas is strong on the rush, so our forwards did an excellent job tracking back and disrupting that.”
Wheeler contributed a goal and two assists, while Pierre-Luc Dubois had a goal and an assist. Kyle Connor also scored for Winnipeg, and Nino Niederreiter added two assists. Goalie Connor Hellebuyck made 16 saves to help secure the victory.
William Karlsson netted the only goal for the Golden Knights, who suffered their first regulation loss in nine games. Vegas goalie Laurent Brossoit, who was unbeaten in regulation during the regular season (7-0-3), stopped 26 shots in the loss.
“We need to adjust to playoff hockey,” said Knights coach Bruce Cassidy. “The intensity wasn’t where it needed to be. They won, but we didn’t help ourselves with some of our mistakes.”
Game 2 is scheduled for Thursday night in Las Vegas.
Though Vegas entered as the top seed in the Western Conference and Winnipeg barely made the playoffs, the Jets came into the game with momentum, having won six of their last eight games.
Despite 14 shots on goal in the first period, Winnipeg couldn’t beat Brossoit, even during back-to-back power plays. Vegas survived several dangerous moments, including a scramble in front of the net where Jets forward Mason Appleton had a chance to score but couldn’t get his stick on the puck.
During the chaos, Jets forward Morgan Barron took a skate to the face from Brossoit and required more than 75 stitches. He returned to the game in the second period wearing a protective full cage.
The Jets finally broke through early in the second period with goals from Connor and Dubois just 1:02 apart, giving them a 2-0 lead. Both goals came from Winnipeg’s top line, with Dubois emphasizing the importance of maintaining momentum after scoring.
“We know we have to keep the momentum going, whether right after we score or later in the game,” Dubois said.
Karlsson brought the Golden Knights within one goal with 4:11 left in the second period, but Wheeler restored Winnipeg’s two-goal advantage just 3:53 into the third. Lowry sealed the game with two late goals, including an empty-netter with 1:21 remaining.
EHLERS SITS OUT
Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers, recovering from an upper-body injury, was held out of the game despite his confidence in being ready. Coach Rick Bowness explained the decision: “There wasn’t a setback, but the progress wasn’t quite where we wanted. We’re not going to put him at risk.”
Ehlers will be re-evaluated before Game 2.
STONE RUSTY IN RETURN
Knights captain Mark Stone played his first game since January after recovering from back surgery. Stone finished minus-3 in 21 minutes of ice time.
“He was rusty, as expected,” Cassidy said. “It will take time for him to find his rhythm, and his linemates will need to help him until he does. But the important thing is he’s healthy and ready to go.”
