Connor's late goal fuels Jets to 5-3 win over Blues in playoff opener
CBC
Kyle Connor's one-timer with 1:36 remaining in the third period snapped a 3-3 tie and lifted the Winnipeg Jets to a 5-3 victory in Saturday's opening game of the Stanley Cup playoffs against the St. Louis Blues.
Connor also contributed a pair of assists and captain Adam Lowry capped the victory, scoring an empty-netter with just 52 seconds left.
Game 2 in the best-of-seven series goes Monday at Canada Life Centre, which featured a loud "whiteout" full house of 15,225 fans on Saturday.
Mark Scheifele had a goal and two assists and Jaret Anderson-Dolan also scored for the Jets.
Connor Hellebuyck made 14 saves for Winnipeg, which won the Presidents' Trophy for the NHL's best regular-season record (56-22-4).
Teams that win Game 1 of a best-of-seven series own an all-time series record of 525-247 (.680), according to NHL stats.
Jordan Kyrou gave the Blues a 3-2 lead with a power-play goal early in the second period, but Winnipeg's top-line winger Alex Iafallo tied it at 9:18 of the third.
Robert Thomas also scored on the power play for St. Louis. Oskar Sundqvist added one at even strength and Justin Faulk had two assists.
Jordan Binnington stopped 21 shots for St. Louis, which grabbed the Western Conference's final wild-card spot with a final-game victory (44-30-8).
The Jets won their regular-season series against the Blues 3-1. Three of the four games were decided by one goal (not including empty-netters).
A four-goal first period ended in a 2-2 tie. Thomas scored on the game's first power play.
With Winnipeg defenceman Luke Schenn in the box for interference, Cam Fowler sent the puck to Thomas in the left faceoff circle. He fired from the dot and the puck went over Hellebuyck's glove into the corner at 9:31.
Thomas finished the regular season on a 12-game point streak — four goals and 21 assists.
The Jets got their first power play four minutes later and Scheifele cashed in 16 seconds into the man advantage. His pass attempt through the crease hit defenceman Ryan Suter's stick and went behind Binnington at 13:38.
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