GAMEDAY: Jets vs Predators

WINNIPEG -A large percentage of Winnipeg Jets fans - and players - can likely recall each and every game from the 2018 second round series between the Jets and Nashville Predators, as the National Hockey League's top two teams went toe-to-toe for seven games.
The Jets won that series and moved on to the Western Conference Final, but it should be noted that the rivalry between the two teams extends to the regular season as well.
So today, ahead of another huge tilt between the two Central Division clubs, we look back at five memorable match-ups. The rosters have changed over the years, but there are also a number of players that have been there for nearly every chapter.
It goes all the way back to 2015.

5 - The One That Started It All
While the final result wasn't one the Winnipeg Jets were happy with, this was the night that both clubs tested the capacity limits of the penalty boxes at Bridgestone Arena.
With just under five minutes off the clock in the third, a delayed penalty against Winnipeg resulted in a whistle, stopping play just as Mark Scheifele cut to the middle of the ice on a rush. The Jets forward tapped the puck into the Nashville net as he coasted by Pekka Rinne.
That immediately drew a crowd, and tempers boiled over to the point that both teams had six players in the penalty box at one time.
4 - Nice To See You Again
In Game 7 of that memorable second round series, the Jets earned a 5-1 win over the Predators at Bridgestone Arena. The next meeting between the two teams came on October 11, 2018, and it didn't take long for the animosity to return.
The Jets took the game's first six minor penalties, and just 34 seconds after Nikolaj Ehlers hopped out of the penalty box after his interference penalty expired, he was hit from behind by Nashville forward Miikka Salomaki.
Needless to say, Winnipeg didn't like that very much.
A line brawl ensued, and while the Jets didn't win the game, they killed off nine Predators power plays that night.

3 - Grinding Out A Win
Earlier this season, the Jets went into Nashville having lost consecutive games to Carolina and Boston despite liking big parts of their game overall.
The Predators had won three of their last four, and wanted to gain some ground on the Jets in the wildcard race.
Nashville opened the scoring in the first, and it wouldn't be until early in the third when Ehlers blasted home a huge goal to tie the game 6:17 into the third.
Only 34 seconds later, Luke Evangelista put Nashville back on top, meaning the Jets would need another response.
They got it from Adam Lowry, who fought tooth and nail for an offensive face-off win, then went to the net to bang home a rebound to even things up with 9:45 left in regulation.
That sent the game to overtime, where Neal Pionk banged home a loose puck to give the Jets a big 3-2 win.
2 - Connors Come Up Big
On March 23, 2019, the Jets had an opportunity to clinch a playoff spot on home ice against the Predators.
Connor Hellebuyck made 12 saves in the opening period to keep the game 0-0 through 20 minutes, and then Winnipeg exploded for 19 shots in the second, with Kyle Connor scoring the game's opening goal 4:42 into the middle frame. That goal was his 30th of the season - marking the second consecutive season the forward hit that milestone.
Connor would add two more in the third, as the Jets prevailed by a score of 5-0. Hellebuyck earned his second shutout of the season (and second in three games) making 33 saves.

1 - Comeback and Clinch
Almost one year earlier to the day, the Jets found themselves in a similar position - beat Nashville, and their ticket to the Stanley Cup playoffs was sealed.
The visitors jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period, which meant if the Jets wanted to clinch in front of their home fans, they'd need to rally back, and that's exactly what they did.
Although it didn't come easy.
Winnipeg scored three times in the second, but gave up two as well, and trailed 4-3 after 40 minutes, even with the Jets outshooting Nashville 25-8 in the middle stanza.
Blake Wheeler scored his 20th of the season just 59 seconds into the third to tie the game at four, and despite a combined 28 shots between the two teams in that final period of regulation play, overtime was needed.
Both teams had chances at three-on-three, but ultimately, a shootout was required.
Mark Scheifele scored the lone goal - going five-hole on Juuse Saros in the shootout - and Connor Hellebuyck stopped all three shots he faced to send the Jets to the playoffs for the first time since 2015.