There might not be another playoff game quite like the one that kicked off the much-anticipated series between the Winnipeg Jets and Colorado Avalanche on Sunday night at Canada Life Centre.
The Jets should be counting on that.
If you’re too young to remember the Smythe Division playoff battles of the 1980s and early ’90s, Game 1 certainly provided a trip down memory lane to experience hockey the way it used to be played.
And if you need further evidence of that, when the dust finally settled at Canada Life Centre, the NHL confirmed the first ever post-season meeting between the Jets and Avs was the highest scoring series opener since 1985.
Yes, there was some clutch scoring by captain Adam Lowry and the number-one line. It was fun. Gabe Vilardi admitted as much afterwards.
And it certainly was entertaining for the thousands of white clad fans who finally had a chance to celebrate the first post-COVID home playoff victory in downtown Winnipeg since game one of the 2018 Western Conference final versus Vegas nearly six years ago.
But make no doubt about it: allowing 45 shots and 88 attempts cannot be repeated by the NHL’s best defensive team during the regular season if they intend to win this series.
The Jets are well aware of that. So are the Colorado Avalanche, who might not have a choice but to continue pressing for this rash of red lights, especially if they can’t even get average goaltending from their starter Alexandar Georgiev.
Winnipeg survived the ’80s flashback in Game 1. The challenge for Tuesday night, and the rest of the way, is to return to the present.
Because that’s a style of play far better suited for what they would like to accomplish in the future.
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