Tonight, the 2025 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs got underway, starting with game 1 between the St. Louis Blues and the Winnipeg Jets. The Winnipeg Whiteout was out in full affect, and you could tell that tonight was the start of a hopefully successful Jets playoff run. The Presidents’ Trophy winning Jets were prepared to take on the Blues, a team who had one of the best records after the 4 Nations Face-Off break led by a 12 game win streak. Nikolaj Ehlers and Gabriel Vilardi remained out with injuries, while the Blues were without Dylan Holloway. Jordan Binnington vs. Connor Hellebuyck was the goalie matchup, introducing another chapter to their most recent matchup at the 4 Nations Face-Off. Tonight’s game started out with a traditional game 1 feel, with the Jets looking to use their home ice advantage to start the series with a win. After a wild 1st period where both teams scored twice, the Jets battled back after being down 3-2 before winning this game late in the 3rd period.

The first 5 minutes of this game were evenly matched, with both teams trying to spark some momentum early in this game 1. Both teams had limited chances through 8 minutes, until Luke Schenn was called for interference, sending the Blues on the powerplay. After some good puck movement by the Blues, the Jets were close to clearing the puck, as Alex Iafallo and Adam Lowry pushed up towards the blue line. Cam Fowler kept the puck in, and found Robert Thomas open near the faceoff dot, and he wristed one top shelf past Hellebuyck to give the Blues the opening goal of this series.

4 minutes later, the Jets were given their 1st powerplay opportunity after Jake Neighours slashed Alex Iafallo. The league’s top ranked powerplay went right to work, as Kyle Connor created some space and passed it back to the point to Josh Morrissey. After the puck was quickly sent back to Connor, the puck was sent down low to Mark Scheifele. Looking across the crease for Alex Iafallo, Scheifele passed one across that deflected off a Blues defender’s stick and into the back of the net, tying this game up at 1.

Less than 2 minutes later, the Jets took the 2-1 lead. After some good offensive pressure, the puck was sent back to Luke Schenn, who slapped one on goal. The puck looked like it was first deflected by Morgan Barron, and then also deflected by Jaret Anderson-Dolan before going past Binnington. Both players celebrated like they scored the goal, but it was eventually given to Anderson-Dolan.

The Jets started to look like the better team, but they were unable to take the lead into the 1st intermission. With 2 minutes to go, Justin Faulk fired one on goal. The puck was stopped and then sent back to Zachary Bolduc, who also shot one on goal. The puck was redirected and found Oskar Sundqvist, and he wristed one past Hellebuyck to make this a 2-2 game. Shots on goal after the 1st period were 9-7 for the Blues.

Neal Pionk was called for roughing with 18 seconds left in the 1st, so the Blues had their 2nd powerplay of the night to start the 2nd period. Just after halfway through the powerplay, the puck was worked around the boards for Neighbours. The puck was sent back to the point to Justin Faulk, before he found Jordan Kyrou at the faceoff dot. After a screen was set up quickly in front, Kyrou waited and wristed one top corner past a screened Hellebuyck to give the Blues a 3-2 lead.

Not even a minute after the Blues took the lead, the Jets got their 2nd powerplay of the night after Colton Parayko tripped Mark Scheifele. Despite a couple pretty good chances, the Jets were unable to tie the game at 3. The rest of the 2nd period played out pretty evenly, and the Jets would get a 3rd powerplay with 16 seconds left after Nick Leddy tripped Vladislav Namestnikov. Shots on goal in the 2nd period were 10-6 in favour of the Jets.

The Jets powerplay went to 1 for 3 after an unsuccessful attempt to start the 3rd period. A minute later, Dylan Samberg was called for hooking on Jordan Kyrou. The Blues 2 for 2 powerplay went back to work, but this time the Jets penalty kill looked better, and kept the Blues from going ahead by 2 goals. Before the penalty ended, Bolduc was called for a very unnecessary cross check on Iafallo, putting this game on a short 4 on 4. The Jets unfortunately couldn’t capitalize on their shortened powerplay as they continued to look for the game tying goal.

With just over 10 minutes to go, Iafallo tied this game up at 3. The top line entered the Blues zone, as Scheifele played give and go with Connor. After Scheifele went behind the net, he turned and passed the puck in front to Iafallo, who battled and shot the puck past Binnington to tie this game up at 3.

The Jets gained momentum from the game tying goal, and started once again to look like the better team in front of their fans. Shots on goal in the 3rd up until that point were 7-1 Jets, as the Jets were doing a great job at limiting any opportunities that the Blues were trying to set up. The game entered the final 5 minutes to play, and the intensity picked up with the next goal likely being the game winner.

With a little over 90 seconds to play, a faceoff was won by Scheifele and the Jets got set up. Morrissey found Scheifele who was circling around the net, and he fired a perfect pass across to an open Kyle Connor, who snapped one past Binnington to give the Jets a dramatic late 4-3 lead.

The Blues pulled their goalie almost right after the next faceoff. After not being able to set up a good chance, Mason Appleton fired one towards the empty net which missed, but the puck went off the boards and in front of the net where Adam Lowry was racing in before tapping it into the empty cage to make this a 5-3 game. A pair of “rough stuff” scrums happened in the final minute, resulting in over total 10 misconducts, before eventually the final horn went. The Jets won game 1 5-3, and led in shots on goal in the 3rd period 9-2, and overall 26-17.

Tonight was a great team win for the Jets to open up their round 1 matchup with the Blues. There were a few moments throughout the game where it looked like the Blues were in control, but most of the time the game was either evenly matched or in favour of the Jets. I liked how the Jets didn’t look they were trying to settle for overtime, and their continued pressure was rewarded with that late 3rd period go ahead goal. The Jets top line was great tonight, and Hellebuyck did enough to help the Jets get the win. Game 2 of this series goes again at Canada Life Centre on Monday night, with puck drop set for shortly after 6:30 pm CT. 1 win down, 15 more to go.