FSM Essential Preview: Golden Knights vs Jets - Game 1 - 2023

FSM Essential Preview: Golden Knights vs Jets – Game 1 – 2023

Franchise Sports Media

Vegas Golden Knights (0-1) vs Winnipeg Jets (1-0)

The Winnipeg Jets fly past the Golden Knights 5-1 in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, leading the series 1-0. 

It was game 1 of the Golden Knights vs Jets series. 

After missing the playoffs last season, the Vegas Golden Knights returned to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. As much as it was a great feeling for the team and fans to be back in the playoffs, it was spoiled as the Winnipeg Jets defeated the Golden Knights 5-1 at T-Mobile Arena.

Despite the Golden Knights being the favorite in this series, the Jets set the tone in game one of the first round and now lead the series 1-0.

“We were prepared for a fast start, and the other times we played here this year, they buzzed us really early, and we had a tough time getting our game going,” BlakeWheeler said. “We wanted to try to assert ourselves and be aggressive early on, and after that first period, we were feeling pretty good about our game. “

The Jets’ offense controlled the tempo of the game by dominating and containing the puck in the neutral zone, the Jets only allowed two shots on goal in the third period. The Jets also allowed only 17 shots on goal for the entire game, that was the fewest the Golden Knights have had all season.

“A big part of our game is pressuring the puck carrier and not give them a whole lot of time to make plays,” Winnipeg coach RickBowness said. “They’re a very good team on the rush. They look for that second wave, so I thought our forwards did a great job back-tracking and taking away those guys.”

Adam Lowry scored two goals for the Jets, Blake Wheeler had a goal and two assists, Pierre-Luc Dubois had a goal and assist, Kyle Connor also scored, and Nino Niederreiter had two assists. Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck finished the night with 16 saves.

“Tonight was clearly the best game we played against them for the full 60 minutes (this season),” Jets coach Rick Bowness said. “Now, they’re a great hockey club, they’re going to get momentum, so I found tonight we bent a little bit but didn’t break.”

William Karlsson scored the only goal for the Golden Knights, and goaltender Laurent Brossoit finished the game with 26 saves. Vegas suffered its first regulation loss in nine games, and it was also the first regulation loss for Brossoit as a starter after having a 7-0-3 record during the regular season.

“The thing we need to address is it’s playoff hockey,” Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said. “You needed an intensity level that was greater than the one we had. … But I’ll say this, I don’t think they were doing anything special, either. They get full value for the win, don’t get me wrong. They deserved to win, and they did, but some of it was self-inflicted.”

End of the first period in the Golden Knights vs Jets series.

The Jets had 14 shots on the goal in the first period but failed to score, but finally broke through in the second period after scoring two quick goals.

Start of the second and third periods in the Golden Knights vs Jets series.

In the first two minutes of the second period, Kyle Connor scored after firing a one-timer shot for a 1-0 lead. Then just a minute later, Pierre-Luc Dubois extended the lead to 2-0.

William Karlsson scored with five minutes left in the second after getting an assist from Ivan Barbashev to cut the lead to 2-1.

The game was close until the third period. Blake Wheeler had a backhand shot that went through Brossoit’s five-hole for a 3-1 lead.

“They scored a big goal there toward the end of the second period, and it gave them some momentum, the crowd was into it,” Wheeler said. “The end of the period came at a good time for us. We were able to reset. It was good to have a good third.

“We played well. It was how we wanted to play and know what to expect for Game 2. This team is probably the best team in the League at home in the first period, so the start of the next game is going to be huge.”

The 3-1 lead for the Jets was not enough, Winnipeg outshot Vegas 10-2 in the third period.  Adam Lowry scored two goals toward the end of the third; the first an empty net goal and then a power-play goal for the 5-1 final to put the Jets ahead in the first round of the series.

The Golden Knights have an opportunity to overwrite their tough loss, as game 2 of the best-of-7 series is back home in Vegas on Thursday.

“It’s one game,” said Golden Knights captain Mark Stone, who returned after missing the final 39 games of the regular season because of a back injury. “Sometimes you flush it and go. We definitely have to look and see what we’re doing good and what we’re doing wrong.”

The final score in game 1 of the Golden Knights vs Jets series was 5-1, Winnipeg.

On Thursday, the Golden Knights will play against the Winnipeg Jets in Game 2 of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena. The puck drops at 7:00 PM. The game can be seen on AT&T SportsNet (channel 313 on Cox Cable) and TBS (channel 7 on Cox Cable) or heard on 98.9 FM, FOX Sports Las Vegas 1340 AM.