The Winnipeg Jets almost extended its series with the Montreal Canadiens when they pushed game 4 into overtime, but in the end, Montreal proved to be too much for Winnipeg as the Habs sweet the best of seven series 4-0.

Montreal’s Erik Gustafsson opened the scoring for Montreal on a power play in the first period, which was quickly followed by Montreal’s second goal of the game when Artturi Lehkonen scored.

The Jets put the pressure on Montreal when Winnipeg’s Logan Stanley scored back to back goals in the second period to tie the game up at 2-2.

Neither team found the back of the net during the third period of play.

Montreal’s Tyler Toffoli proved to be the hero of the game and the series as his over time winning goal sealed the win and the series for the Canadiens.

It’s a tough loss for the Jets to swallow after they defeated the Edmonton Oilers in four straight games in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Montreal Canadiens earned a huge victory against the Winnipeg Jets at in game 3 of the second round series in the 2021 National Hockey League Stanley Cup playoffs.

Montreal scored three unanswered goals at the Bell Centre in Montreal before before Winnipeg found the game sheet.

The Canadien’s Corey Perry opened the scoring for Montreal in the first period.

The second period saw Montrea’s Artturi Lehkonen and Joel Armia found the back of the net. Winnipeg’s Adam Lowry scored the lone goal for the Jets and his fourth of the 2021 playoffs.

Nick Suzuki and Armia netted goals in the third period and helped secure the 5-1 victory for the the Canadiens.

The Canadiens are now on the verge of sweeping the Winnipeg Jets as the fourth game of the best of seven series takes place in Montreal on June 7.

The Montreal Canadiens took advantage of a juggled Jets lineup to take a big jump over their opponents. 

The Habs scored the only goal of the game to edge Winnipeg 1-0 in Game 2 of the best-of-seven Stanley Cup playoff series at Bell MTS Place on Friday night 

Montreal, which took a 2-0 lead in the series, will host Game 3 on Sunday. 

In the second period, the Jets paid the price for having a forward on the blueline during their first powerplay. Tyler Toffoli was sent ahead by defenceman Shea Weber past forward Kyle Connor, who chased him, swung his stick and missed the puck. Toffoli then beat Winnipeg netminder Connor Hellebuyck on a screened shot to open the scoring. 

“Obviously, they came out hard,” Toffoli told CBC/Sportsnet. “We just found a way, dug deep and got the win.” 

Montreal goaltender Carey Price made 30 saves to record the shutout. 

“I think everyone’s kind of been put on notice with the way he’s been playing,” Toffoli said. “I think it’s pretty incredible … He’s been saving our butts a couple of times here.” 

The Jets were forced to play without several key players. Mark Scheifele, Winnipeg’s top scorer during the regular season, served the first of a four-game suspension for an illegal hit on Canadiens forward Jake Evans in Game 1. Centre Paul Stastny missed his second straight match with an undisclosed injury and defenceman Dyan DeMelo will be out for out for a week with another injury. Kristian Vesalainen drew in for Stastny while Jordie Benn replaced DeMelo. Jansen Harkins also replaced Dominic Toninato in the lineup. 

The Jets will still be without Scheifele and DeMelo when they head to Montreal down 0-2 in the series. 

“Everyone in here knows what it takes (to come back),” Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers told reporters. “I think we played a really good game and worked our asses off, so we’ve just got to keep going. 

“We’re confident in ourselves and we know what it takes. We’re going to look at the game, obviously. There’s always things you can do better. We can talk about those things and get ready for our next game.” 

Jets head coach Paul Maurice is hoping Stastny can return in time for what could be a pivotal Game 3 in Montreal. 

“It’s a challenge, for sure,” he said. “We’ve been a better road team than a home team all year. So, we’ve got some confidence going into the other team’s building and there’s a chance that we might get Paul back, which will probably help our group up front.” 

Game 4 will be played in Montreal on Monday. 

Photos from the second game of the playoff series between the Winnipeg Jets and the Montreal Canadiens at BellMTS Place in Winnipeg on June 4.

The NHL Department of Player Safety has suspended Winnipeg Jets forward Mark Scheifele for four games due to his illegal hit on Montreal Canadiens forward Jake Evans in the waning moments of Game 1 between Montreal and Winnipeg at Bell MTS Place on Wednesday.

Scheifele was handed a five-minute major for charging and a misconduct at the time. Evans laid down on the ice for an extended period of time and was removed from the ice on a stretcher. Evans reportedly suffered a concussion and is doubtful to return to best-of-seven series.

Scheifele told reporters on Friday morning that he will not appeal the suspension because it would become a distraction to his teammates, but maintained his innocence. But he was shocked at the length.

Jets head coach Paul Maurice said he expected a two-game suspension and was surprised that it was four. Scheifele also said that he has been praying for Evans. Montreal won the game 5-3.

Jets forward Paul Stastny missed the first game with an undisclosed injury while defenceman Dylan DeMelo left the first game during his first shift with a lower-body injury. It is not known if either one will suit up for Game 2 at Bell MTS Place on Friday, although Stastny did practise Friday morning.

The first round of this Canadian heavyweight championship bout ended with an ugly incident in the last minute of play. 

Montreal forward Jake Evans beat every Jet on the ice to the puck behind an empty net, brought it to the front and scored to clinch a 5-3 victory over Winnipeg at Bell MTS Place on Wednesday night. 

Just after Evans scored, Jets centre Mark Scheifele issued a brutal hit on the forward, who collapsed and was later taken off the ice on a stretcher. Scheifele will likely face a suspension of at least one game. 

Montreal takes a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven Stanley Cup playoff series. The second round will be played in Winnipeg on Friday. But most of the post-game talk was about Scheifele’s illegal blow. 

“It was a dirty hit,” fumed Montreal defenceman Joel Edmundson. “I hope he’s (Evans) OK. 

“I’m sure the league will look after it. If he (Scheifele) gets back in the series, we’re going to make his life miserable.” 

Winnipeg forward Nikolaj Ehlers did at least come to Evans’s defence as he lay on the ice. 

“Obviously, I hope he’s OK,” Ehlers said. “I came back and saw that he wasn’t looking good and obviously, when something like that happens, there’s a scrum but I was just trying to keep everyone away from him. In a situation like that, you don’t want anyone falling on top of him. So, I was just trying to keep everyone away.” 

Jets head coach Paul Maurice admitted that it was “a heavy, heavy hit, there’s no doubt about that. I’m sure the league will have its opinion.” 

Other Jets also expressed concern for Evans. 

“It’s never good to see a guy down on the ice for that amount of time and for them to bring the stretcher out, it’s scary,” said captain Blake Wheeler. “So, we’re just hoping that he’s OK.” 

Jets forward Kyle Connor had scored on a slapshot with the goalie pulled to pull Winnipeg to within 4-3 late in the third period. Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher had scored a powerplay goal to up the score to 4-2 midway through the final frame. Winnipeg defenceman Derek Forbort made it 3-2 when he beat Montreal goaltender Carey Price over the shoulder. 

“It’s tough to match what those guys had just been through,” Wheeler said. “They just won an emotional Game 7 (over the Toronto Maple Leafs) and they’re kind of riding that high, and we have just sort of been sitting on our hands (during a nine-day layoff). So, it’s tough to match that. They certainly got off to a good lead tonight and it’s tough to claw our way back … They played a great game.” 

Montreal had pounced on the rusty Jets, taking a 3-1 lead into the second period. After Winnipeg’s Adam Lowry scored on a shorthanded breakaway to make the score 2-1, Nick Suzuki scored on a 2-on-1. 

Forwards Eric Staal and Jesperi Kotkanieme had given Montreal a 2-0 lead just 5:10 into the game. 

“We just weren’t particularly sharp,” Maurice said. “You can look slow when the other team plays a really fast game … You’ve got to look at Montreal and say they played a hell of a game.” 

NOTES – Jets centre Paul Stastny was a surprise scratch and was replaced in the lineup by Dominic Toninato … The Jets also lost defenceman Dylan DeMelo to a lower-body injury in the opening minutes of the game … Jets centre Adam Lowry had to leave the game briefly after taking a puck in the ear while sitting on the bench. 

Photos from the first game of the second round National Hockey League playoff series between the Winnipeg Jets and the visiting Montreal Canadiens at BellMTS Place in Winnipeg on June 2.

And now, for the heavyweight championship of Canada …  

In this corner, the Winnipeg Jets who knocked out the leading contender Edmonton Oilers, who boasted the best player in the world (Connor McDavid) 4-0. 

In that corner, the unheralded Montreal Canadiens, who bounced off the ropes to deliver a TKO to the champion-wannabe Toronto Maple Leafs, who boasted the NHL’s top goal scorer (Austin Matthews) 4-3. 

The first round of the best-of-seven seven game series will be played at Bell MTS Place in Winnipeg on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. 

The winner of the series will be known as the 2021 Canadian champion of pro hockey. 

“Guys are going to be fighting for every inch to give and it should be a lot of fun, and we’re looking forward to it,” Jets centre Nate Thompson told reporters after Tuesday’s practice.  

“I’m excited to still be playing and obviously, the first round was very exciting and we made some good memories in that first round,” said Jets captain Blake Wheeler. “But this is a whole new ball game, a whole new team, a whole different scenario and it’s gonna be a grind, and we’re looking forward to seven games of just grinding it out. If we do a good enough job, maybe we have an opportunity to move on, but we’re not looking past (Wednesday).” 

The Canuck champ will advance to the Final Four versus an American team. 

The Jets had a decided 6-3 edge over Montreal during the regular season, but won three of those games in overtime. 

“Three overtime games obviously shows how close the matchup was between our two teams,” said Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey. “I think both teams have sort of found their games down the stretch and throughout the first round … I think, overall, both teams have kind of peaked at the right time and it’s gonna be a tough defensive series … Both teams have both found their stride, if you will, and both teams are different than they were in the regular season.” 

The series is expected to come down to a battle of the backstops. Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck registered a 1.60 GAA and .950 save percentage in winning four straight games against the Oilers. Montreal’s Carey Price had a 2.24 GAA and 93.2 save percentage while recording a 4-3 won-loss record versus the Leafs. 

“Two elite goalies, for sure. The lead story, understandable, because both teams kind of got here the same way,” said Jets head coach Paul Maurice. 

“They both have some Vezina hardware and it’s tough when both goalies are elite,” Thompson said. “With Price, the only difference is, he’s been doing it a little longer. A couple of the best goalies in the world, if you ask me.” 

The biggest difference between the two teams is that the Jets boast such outstanding scorers as centre Mark Scheifele, who finished ninth in NHL scoring during the regular season with 21 goals and 63 points while forward Kyle Connor was 25^th with 26 goals and 50 points. Nik Ehlers and Wheeler were also better than Montreal’s best, forward Tyler Toffoli at 48^th with 28 goals and 44 points. 

But Montreal also has a tough defensive scheme that stopped the likes of Matthews and Toronto’s other elite scorers. 

“Both teams have the same mindset,” Maurice said. “They’ll give up nothing easily. Montreal controls the middle of the ice very well; they protected in front of their net very well; they were very smart in how they managed the puck; and they didn’t shoot themselves in the foot at any time.” 

May the best team win.