Jets give home fans emotional ride in comeback win over Predators
Winnipeg takes 2-1 lead in best-of-7 Western Conference semifinal
Robert Louis Stevenson would be jealous of the Winnipeg Jets if he was still around.
The Jekyll and Hyde author would have been hard-pressed to come up with a better example of dual personalities in the Jets' 7-4 drubbing of the Nashville Predators on Tuesday.
"It was unreal. It's like they wanted to play with us, they wanted to play with our emotions," saidMatt Rueckert, who stood in the concourse of Bell MTSPlace after the game, high-fivingeveryone he could.
"Awesome, amazing win.This is the greatest thing for this city ever. It brings everyone together."
The Jets were viciously clawed by the Predators in the first period as the playoff battle between the NHL'sregularseason titans landed in Winnipeg.
The opening period for Winnipeg was marred by broken sticks, mistimed shots and passes, bad line changes, andbotched power plays when they took their own penalty.
Nashville scored three goals on 12 shots as they wasted little time smothering the Jets in the opening frame of Game 3 of the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal.
"It's definitely not how you draw up a first period, but nobody panicked," said Jets defenseman Jacob Trouba, who finished with a goal and an assist.
"We just regrouped. It wasn't really any different in here than if it was a tie game or if we were winning.We just went out there and played a little bit faster and played with a little bit more confidence."
"We didn't quit believing in ourselves," addedDustinByfuglien, whohad two goals and an assist.
Chants of "Mr. Underwood" rang out after Mike Fisher scored the opening goal for Nashville a reference to his wife, country singer Carrie Underwood.
As they have done all season, fans loudly booed P.K. Subban every time he touched the puck. This time there was more vigour after Subban's embellishment from a hit in Game 2 when he unsuccessfully tried to draw a penalty.
The veteran player simply replied by turning the jeers into moans after he put the Predators up 2-0.
"They came out dead, they looked like they weren't skating, they weren't hustling," saidRueckert, who dealt with the stress in a fluid way."I grabbed an extra beer during the first intermission.
"And in the second, they started playing the game like they could play. Five minutes in and we're tied up. It was awesome. What a game."
The second period started out much the same way for the Jets, who missed an open net with Predators goalie Pekka Rinne flat on the ice.
But then something happened. Call it an awakening, desperation, or maybe just confidence.
Or perhaps the realization that Rinne is mortal.
"We got kicked in the teeth a little bit," Jets captain BlakeWheelersaid. "Our goal was just to win the second period and give ourselves a chance."
They did that and did it quickly with three goals on five shots. The rink roof rumbled when Byfuglien and Jacob Trouba scored 18 seconds apart.
"Are you kidding me?" said an elated Joanne Fershau, also known as Go Jets Jo. "Down 3-0 after one [period], itwas a little solemn but we know what's going on, we know what the boys can do."
Byfuglien found the back of the net again with 45 seconds left in the period and celebrated with a little celebration jig.
"I don't know where some of this stuff comes from," he said in a post-game scrum with a grin.
"It's nice to see him get a little excited," Wheeler told reporters, breaking into a rare beaming smile.
After being outshot 12-10 in the first period, they dominated the Preds 16-6, all in front of Jetshall of famer Dale Hawerchuk, whose No. 10 was retired by the team. A banner honouring his number now hangs from the rafters of the rink.
Hawerchuk, who convinced the current Jets to draft Mark Scheifele, was shown on the Jumbotron with another ex-Jet, Thomas Steen, cheering from a private box.
The Predators evened things up in the third butWheeler, who had been banged up all evening, sniped one in from a sharp angle.
Rinnesealed the deal when he lost his composure and whacked his stick across the back ofAdam Lowry, leaving the Predators shorthanded with less than five minutes to go.
Wheeler added an empty-netter with 52 seconds left and then Brandon Tanevadded to thePreds'humiliationwith a goal 21 seconds later.
Fershauinsists she never had any doubt about the outcome.
"I know what my boys can do. You have good periods, you have bad periods but itdoesn't matter because my Jets can win the Cup," she said.
"You knowHellebuyck's going to come up stone-faced in the second and he did. So, 4-3 after two [periods] and yadda-yadda-yadda, the rest is history."
Predators welcomed with apologies
Prior to the game, Jets fans, in typical Canadian fashion, extended condolences to the Predators.
"I just want to apologize for the beating they're about to encounter tonight and Thursday night. I'm sorry Nashville, but that's what's going down," saidMyron Krahn.
"The last two games have been played pretty tight but now we're here, we're in Winnipeg. And I'm sorry Nashville, but this is our house and you're going down," said Paul Bodnarchuk.
Despite the brash comments, they were admittedlya little more stressed out with this match-up betweentheNHL'stop teams from the regular season.
The Jets took Game 1 in Nashville by a score of 4-1 but cashed in a lot of lucky chips because they were vastly outplayed. Game 2 went to double overtime with Nashville coming out on top 5-4.
The Jets' home rink proved to be the most difficult venue for visitors this season with Winnipeg putting together a league-best 32-7-2 record in the regular season. They went three-for-three in the first round against the Minnesota Wild.
But the Predators were the best road team in the regular season and won two of three in Colorado against the Avalanche in the first round.
ForBodnarchuk, combating the stress of the series means wearing the same thing he has for all the Jets' successes this post-season same white pants and jersey, same spikedwhite wig, same face paint and same Patrik Laine-themed socks.
"You hear about players doing the same routines and having superstitions, well I think it's the same for the fans," he said, then pointed to his white-painted beard. "Thisisn't coming off until it's all over."
For the Krahns, it's all about diving into the snacks.
"We're about the comfort food. When things get stressful we eat chips," Myron Krahn said. "We rely on food to calm ourselves down."
"I think we're more nervous than the players because there's nothing that we can do about it, to help them," added Jill.
Oh, but there is, according toJets head coach Paul Maurice.
Tapping into the fans
The energy the fans bring every game feeds the players at a time when they need it most.
"Energy in the playoffs is critical.As this goes on, even if you get rest between series, the bodies don't feel quite as strong. The hitting is heavy. The energy expenditure is huge," Maurice said earlier in the week.
Wheeler can attest to that. He was on the receiving end of a few of those hits, two of which left his helmet spinning empty on the ice.
Coming home is like tapping into an adrenaline IV for the players.
This building and the fans are loud and wired to the game.- Paul Maurice
"We're gonna get a bounce from energy that you don't get on the road," Maurice said, adding that Jets fans are tuned into the action unlike any others.
Fans in other cities are treated to big productions the theatrics of the knight defeating opponents at centre ice before Las Vegas home games, or the opportunity to swing a sledgehammer at acar painted in enemy colours in Nashville.
In Winnipeg, the fans don't need the sideshows, Maurice said.
"This building and the fans are loud and wired to the game. It's not the music, it's not the stuff that happens in the TV timeouts that wires them up, it's the game that wires our fans up." he said.
"So when we play that aggressive game and we get those chances, there's more energy, feels different than on the other team's bench, it's just a really good home building."
Ending the streaks
The Jets' streak of scoring the first goal in a game was halted Sunday when the Predators struck first, just 27 seconds in. Until then, the Jets had a 10-game run going,dating back to the regular season.
It was the Preds who scored first again on Tuesday.
When Subbanscored on the power play in Sunday's second period it ended Winnipeg's streak of perfect penalty kills.The Jets, whohadn't allowed power play goals in the final two games against Minnesota and in Game 1 against Nashville, were10-for-10 on the kill.
The puck drops for Game 4 on Thursday at 8:30 CT in Winnipeg while Game 5 is back in Nashville on Saturday.
Notebook:
- Jets becamefifth NHL team in past eight years to rally from a deficit of at least three goals to win a playoff game in regulation.
- Winnipeg hasn't lost a home game since Feb. 27. The team that beat them? Nashville by a 6-5 score.
- Jets centreMark Scheifeleis tied for the NHL leadin goals in the playoffs with eight and is sixth in scoring with 12 points (8G, 4A).
- Jets goalie ConnorHellebuyck has faced 119shots in two games against Nashville, stopping 109.
- His 47 stopsin Game 1 set a personal career record, besting the45he made in November againstMontreal. That performanceis alsoa franchise record for most saves in a playoff game, and is tied for the fifth most in NHL history for a road playoff game.
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With files from The Canadian Press
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