Jets clinch playoff spot with shootout win over Nashville

WINNIPEG - All season, the chance the Winnipeg Jets would earn a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs continued to increase.
Sunday night, in front of a packed house at Bell MTS Place, against a divisional rival, it became a certainty.
Mark Scheifele scored the only goal in the shootout, and Connor Hellebuyck stopped Filip Forsberg on the final shot, sealing a 5-4 Jets win over the Nashville Predators, and clinching a playoff spot for the second time since the team relocated to Winnipeg in 2011.

It was the fifth win in a row for the Jets, who had goals from Kyle Connor, Dustin Byfuglien, Bryan Little, and Wheeler in regulation.
"It's awesome. It's been a long time coming. Everyone's been patiently waiting for this group to live up to our expectations," said Little. "We have a lot of good young players that everyone was patient with, and it's starting to pay off. We've got a lot of talented guys in here and a good group of guys."
It didn't come easy, as the Jets had to overcome a number of obstacles through out the 65 minutes of hockey, just to earn a chance in the shootout.

The first obstacle came in the opening period, when Nashville - who lost last night in Minnesota - foiled the Jets plans for a quick start against a tired team.
Roman Josi opened the scoring 10:09 into the game, after a Nashville 4-on-3 power play expired. The Predators defenceman took a pass from Ryan Ellis near the top of the right circle, and although Connor Hellebuyck got a piece of the blast, it wasn't enough to keep it out.

Kyle Turris would make it 2-0 with 0.2 seconds left on the clock, when he found the loose puck after a P.K. Subban shot was blocked by Scheifele. Turris collected it in the high slot, and beat Hellebuyck on the stick side for his 14th of the season.
The Jets were shorthanded four times in the opening frame, and were out shot 15-4, with six of Nashville's 15 shots coming on the man advantage.
"You're not going to control all parts to the game," said Maurice. "I didn't think we came out flat. Our first shift, we're rolling, and we take four penalties, and that's exactly what it's going to look like.
"We got back to skating in the second period, which is maybe the 'A' part of our game. We skate, we move, we create some havoc. Then we played one of our best periods of the year."
Winnipeg got one back early in the second, when they took advantage of a power play, the result of a P.K. Subban hooking penalty.
Little sent the puck to the net, and the rebound popped out to Kyle Connor, who chipped home his 29th of the season, tying him for the NHL lead in goals by a rookie.
"I think every game you play in this league, you get more confidence, and it builds as the team wins and everybody is playing well," said Connor, who will experience his first NHL post-season.
"It's awesome. I've heard about the white out and everything, it's going to be great. The team is really excited. We're going to enjoy this one, but tomorrow it's back to business getting ready for the playoffs."

But just under three minutes later, a Ryan Ellis point shot off the face-off got through traffic and beat Hellebuyck high on the glove side, restoring Nashville's two-goal lead.
Winnipeg now faced an uphill climb to erase a second two-goal deficit.
"They did it to us in our building last time, a game we felt we should have won," said Wheeler. "They snuck up on us and just found a way to win. Tonight was not a good first period for our team, probably the opposite of what we wanted to do to them - gave them life and gave them energy. Our second period was quite a bit better, and gave ourselves a chance to win a game."
The Jets looked to get within one when Andrew Copp had a rebound go off his skate just outside of the crease to the left of Juuse Saros. But the officials ruled Copp used a kicking motion, negating the goal.

Byfuglien would make sure the Jets got that second goal though, as his wrist shot from the point on the third Jets power play of the middle frame evaded the bodies and sticks in front of Saros and found twine.
It was Byfuglien's sixth of the season, and the Jets weren't done.
Little tied the game with his 15th of the season, a slap shot unleashed from the top of the right wing circle that beat Saros on the stick side.

Little said clinching at this point of the season feels much different than back in 2015, when the team earned their spot in game 81 of the regular season.
"Last time I think we clinched on a loss in Colorado, so it was kind of a strange feeling, and we were battling for the last month and a half of the season just to scrape in," he said. "This time it's nice to have some games left to prepare and get ready knowing we're playing for a longer season."
At that point, the Jets were out shooting Nashville 20-5 in the second period, but after Ryan Johansen recorded the sixth, and Hellebuyck was unable to squeeze the puck, Viktor Arvidsson slid the loose puck in, putting the Predators back up 4-3.

Hellebuyck opened the third period with a big save on a Johansen breakaway, and less than a minute later, Wheeler pounced on a rebound from a Joe Morrow point shot, and beat Saros five-hole to tie things up at four.
Morrow played 16:55 in the game, recording four shots on goal along with the assist on the Wheeler equalizer.
"His last two games were outstanding," said Maurice. "He's played very well. He moves the puck. In physical, heavy games, his game seems to have grown. He's as close to Toby Esntrom, without having to put Josh Morrissey there - who can play Toby Enstrom's game - Joe is as close to Toby Enstrom as we have.
"So Buff is playing a game he understands. That chemistry between pairs does matter."
Overtime would solve nothing, though Tyler Myers and Turris both found iron. It all set the stage for Scheifele and Hellebuyck's heroics in the shootout.

The win moved the Jets to 46-19-10, and the 102 points have them five points back of Nashville for the Central Division lead.
Overall, the two teams played five times, and scored 42 goals in those match-ups, which Maurice felt would make for an intriguing series, should it happen.
"I think they're number one for goals against, and we used to be number four going into this one," said Maurice.
"That's a big number. There might have been another 20 left just off posts and empty nets. Lots of intensity and physicality, both teams are trying to play the exact same style of game.
"We have different personnel, but we want to be on the puck, and we want to make plays, and we want to skate. It would be great if we were both so fortunate to get there."
Even though there are seven games to go in the regular season, Wheeler already can't wait for the playoffs to arrive.
"You have an opportunity. As a player in this league, that's all you can ask for," said Wheeler.
"This doesn't ensure anyone is going to win the whole thing, no matter who looks the best on paper going into it. As a player, all you can ask for is a chance, and we have a chance."
Opportunity knocks, and the Jets are ready.