Lowry, Connor propel Jets to 7-6 playoff win over Avalanche

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Captain Adam Lowry and Kyle Connor every scored twice to propel the Winnipeg Jets to a 7-6 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday in Recreation 1 of their first-round playoff collection.

“He loves these challenges,” Jets coach Rick Bowness mentioned of Lowry. “He’s going up in opposition to among the best gamers on the planet, not essentially the league, however the world in Nate (Nathan MacKinnon). So, he loves these challenges and he takes his recreation to a different degree.”

MacKinnon, who had a purpose and one help, was second in league scoring with 140 factors through the common season.

“That’s our captain, man. He’s a gamer,” Jets defenseman Brenden Dillon mentioned of Lowry. “The physicality, he performs in opposition to the highest guys each night time. Generally when it looks like our group doesn’t have it, he’s in a position to pull us into the battle.”

Mark Scheifele had a purpose and two assists and Josh Morrissey registered a purpose and help. Vladislav Namestnikov additionally scored. Brenden Dillon, Gabriel Vilardi and Nino Niederreiter every added a pair of assists and Connor picked up one helper.

There have been 100 hits within the recreation, with the Avalanche having a 54-46 edge.

Connor Hellebuyck made 40 saves for the Jets, who’re on a nine-game win streak.

Cale Makar had a purpose and two assists for Colorado. Artturi Lehkonen notched a purpose and one help. Valeri Nichushkin, Miles Wooden and Casey Mittelstadt additionally scored. Mikko Rantanen chipped in with two helpers.

“Sadly, all of the errors that we made ended up at the back of our web,” Makar mentioned. “That’s simply the best way she goes generally. A pair issues to wash up after which flip the web page.”

Alexandar Georgiev stopped 16 of the 23 photographs he confronted for Colorado, which is making an attempt to repeat its 2022 Stanley Cup-championship run. He was backed up by Arvid Holm as a substitute of Justus Annunen, who wasn’t on the morning skate.

It was the primary time the 2 groups have met within the NHL playoffs.

The Avalanche got here into the collection having misplaced all three regular-season video games in opposition to Winnipeg.

“We performed extraordinarily laborious,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar mentioned. “We did a number of good issues. You don’t get six (objectives) on the Jets with out doing that.

“We additionally made some errors that they capitalized on. Too many, clearly tonight, and it finally ends up costing us the hockey recreation.”

The primary interval led to a 3-3 tie, together with the groups combining to attain three objectives in 66 seconds.

“It’s not the best way we drew it up, a 7-6 recreation, however generally you’ve simply acquired to play that recreation that’s in entrance of you,” Connor mentioned. “It became a little bit of a observe meet there and we all know we’ve acquired to be higher.”

The groups then mixed for 4 objectives in slightly below 4 minutes.

Lowry acquired the one purpose of the second interval.

Lowry’s second purpose of the sport needed to be reviewed because the puck hit one put up, went throughout and hit the opposite put up after which slid alongside the purpose line and hit the put up once more earlier than bouncing out. It counted as crossing the road at 3:31.

Mark Scheifele’s first-period purpose was his twentieth profession playoff purpose, scored in his thirty eighth recreation.

Solely three lively gamers have reached that mark in fewer video games. Alex Ovechkin did it in 26 video games, Jake Guentzel in 32 and Connor McDavid in 36 video games.

UP NEXT

Recreation 2 is Tuesday in Winnipeg.

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AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL