Jets outlast Avalanche to win wild Game 1

Field Level Media|published: Sun 21st April, 22:01 2024

Apr 21, 2024; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; Winnipeg Jets center Mason Appleton (22) celebrates the second period goal by Winnipeg Jets center Adam Lowry (17) on Colorado Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev (40) in game one of the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Canada Life Centre. credits: James Carey Lauder-USA TODAY Sports

Kyle Connor had two goals and an assist for the Winnipeg Jets in their 7-6 win against visiting the Colorado Avalanche in Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round series on Sunday evening.

Adam Lowry also scored two goals, Mark Scheifele had a goal and two assists, Josh Morrissey had a goal and an assist and Connor Hellebuyck made 39 saves for the Jets, who ended the regular season with an eight-game winning streak.

Cale Makar had a goal and two assists, Nathan MacKinnon and Artturi Lehkonen each had a goal and an assist and Alexandar Georgiev made 16 saves for the Avalanche, who were swept by Winnipeg in the three-game regular-season series, getting outscored 17-4.

Winnipeg took the lead for good at 8:57 of the second when Lowry finished a two-on-one rush to give the Jets a 4-3 lead.

Lowry scored again at 3:31 of the third period to make it 5-3. His shot from in close hit both posts before slightly crossing the goal line.

Connor followed with a power-play goal to stretch the lead to 6-3 at 5:51.

The Avalanche answered with a power-play goal by Lehkonen on a deflection to cut it to 6-4 at 6:29, but Connor scored again at 8:54 to make it 7-4.

Makar scored with a wrist shot through traffic while on a power play to cut it to 7-5 at 12:24.

Casey Mittelstadt scored from in close with 30 seconds left to make it 7-6.

Both teams scored three goals apiece in a span of 9:43 of the first period.

Valeri Nichushkin scored with a wrist shot from the right circle to give the Avalanche a 1-0 lead at 6:10.

Morrissey took a wrist shot from just inside the blue line that sailed through traffic and hit the net to tie it 1-1 at 8:02.

Winnipeg moved ahead 2-1 at 11:57 when Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson turned the puck over in his zone and Vladislav Namestnikov scored with a one-timer.

Winnipeg defenseman Dylan Samberg then turned the puck over behind his net and Miles Wood took advantage to tie it 2-2 at 14:47.

Colorado scored 18 seconds later when MacKinnon capitalized off another turnover and scored with a wrist shot from the left circle to move the Avalanche ahead 3-2 at 15:05.

The Jets tied it 3-3 at 15:53 when Scheifele scored off a short centering pass from Gabriel Vilardi.

Game 2 is Tuesday night in Winnipeg.

—Field Level Media

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