The St. Louis Blues have cut their series deficit to 2-1 after defeating the Winnipeg Jets 7-2 in Game 3 on Thursday at Enterprise Center. Pavel Buchnevich recorded a hat trick, and Cam Fowler tallied five points for the Blues. This has been an eventful series through three games, with both teams delivering some great hockey. Here are three observations I’ve made so far:

These Central Division rivals embody what playoff hockey is all about. From the moment the puck dropped in Game 1, both teams have been throwing their weight around. There have been a ton of massive hits all over the ice in every game. Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn set the tone for the series, and the Blues have answered the bell. St. Louis registered 30 hits in the first period alone in Game 3, and the two teams combined for 131 hits on Thursday. This is exactly what you want to see at this time of year—both teams sacrificing their bodies and delivering bone-crushing hits. It’s why you love playoff hockey.

Jets fans always set the bar high in the playoffs with the whiteout. It’s an awesome tradition that brings so much energy and life to the players. This is shaping up to be a series where the home team might win every game. Winnipeg took care of business at home, winning both games at Canada Life Centre. Blues fans were ready for Game 3 and brought the noise. The Blues fed off the crowd’s energy and came out flying, beating Connor Hellebuyck three times in the first period.

Why this is a talking point is a bit concerning for Winnipeg—because Hellebuyck has just one win in his last eight road playoff games. The Jets are going to need him to be sharp from the start in Game 4, or this series could be heading back to Winnipeg tied 2-2.

To win in the playoffs, you need your top players to perform—and so far, they have. For the Jets, Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele have been their best players and haven’t missed a beat from the regular season. They practically took over in Game 1 and willed the Jets to victory. Winnipeg will need them to continue to dominate in order to win this series.

For the Blues, most of their offence has come from their top six, especially Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich. A large part of that production has come on the power play. St. Louis has six power-play goals in the series, and their stars are stepping up when it matters most.

Game 4 takes place Sunday at 12 p.m. CT in St. Louis. Can Winnipeg take a stranglehold on the series and push the Blues to the brink of elimination? Or will the Blues tie the series at two games apiece and set up a pivotal Game 5?

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