The Jets didn’t let an awful first period effort keep them down as they rallied for four in the second period and then got a game winning goal from their captain Blake Wheeler to earn a 7-4 win over the Nashville Predators and a 2-1 lead in their best of seven series.

The Jets couldn’t have had any of a worse start as they look disorganized on the ice, take a couple of bad penalties and get punished with goals that come at 4:53 (even strength that expired moments after the first penalty) with a goal from Mike Fisher, and then at 10:06 off a P.K. Subban goal. It got even worse when Austin Watson makes it 3-0 at 17:35 of the first. It was a brutal period for the Jets even though they kept the shots close at 12-10. The Jets played 20 minutes flat and simply going through the motions but not appearing alert.

Complete 180 in the second period and the Jets come out flying! Paul Stastny deflects a Jacob Trouba shot that needs a brief review before getting the Jets on the board, and then three minutes later the Jets get two goals within 18 seconds from Dustin Byfuglien and Jacob Trouba to bring the game back even. The Jets dominate on the shot clock and at one point the Predators go 11:11 between registering shots. In the last minute of the period, Byfuglien gets his second of the night and gives the Jets a lead. The shots finish up 16-6 in the second period.

Fantastic back and forth period befitting two great teams fighting for a critical third game win. Jacob Trouba – who already had a goal and assist – completes his Gordie How Hatty with a fight against Nick Bonino. The Preds do tie things a little under halfway through the period as Filip Forsberg scores on the power play. The Predators get into penalty trouble with three straight minor penalties, but it’s the second power play in that stretch that proves costly as Blake Wheeler scores to give the Jets the 5-4 with 4:59 left in the period. The Preds pull their goalie but are unable to do anything with the extra man advantage and it’s in fact the Jets that pick up two more goals to ice the win and a 2-1 series lead.