Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele go together like laces and hockey skates.
The Jets’ top-line duo each had a goal and two assists to boost Winnipeg to a 5-3 victory over the St. Louis Blues in Saturday’s Game 1 opening-round playoff match.
Scheifele threaded a pass to set up Connor’s one-timer with 1:36 remaining in the third period, a goal that snapped a 3-3 tie. Captain Adam Lowry added an empty-netter with 53 seconds left to seal the victory.
Scheifele became the Jets/Thrashers’ all-time franchise leader in playoff points with 41.
“To do it in front of the fans tonight was pretty special,” said the Kitchener, Ont., centre. “That was a fun game to be a part of, just had a fun time.”
Whiteout party takes over downtown Winnipeg as puck drops on playoffs
Connor was asked if he had an idea Scheifele would send him a pass because of their years of knowing what each other might do.
“Yeah, I’d like to think so,” he said with a laugh.
Scheifele said he has confidence Connor might score any time he feeds him the puck.
“AlI want to do is put the puck in his hands and he does some fantastic things,” Scheifele said. “Like I said before, I’m lucky to play with him.”
Lowry said the pair are “dynamic together.”
“They don’t crowd each other in the [offensive] zone, but they always seem to have that tight support whenever they need an out,” he said. “It was great to see them rewarded. I thought they had a heck of a Game 1.”
Game 2 in the best-of-seven Western Conference series goes Monday at Canada Life Centre, which featured a loud “whiteout” full house of 15,225 fans.
Teams that win Game 1 of a best-of-seven series own an all-time series record of 525-247 (. 680), according to NHL stats.
Both Connor and Scheifele finished the regular season with career-highs in points, and each played 82 games.
Connor had 97 points, including 41 goals, while Scheifele recorded 39 goals and 87 points.
Scheifele, 32, surpassed former captain Blake Wheeler’s franchise mark of 39 playoff points.
“Every year, [Scheifele] seems to work on some new skills, come back an even better player than he was before,” Lowry said when asked about the new franchise-leader’s value to the team.
“It’s difficult to kind of understand that someone in their 30s is continuing to get better, they’re not kind of plateauing. But he puts in the work, he’s rewarded for it. I thought tonight was a perfect example of our stars being our stars.”
Jaret Anderson-Dolan and Alex Iafallo also scored for the Jets, who won their regular-season series against the Blues 3-1. Josh Morrissey added a pair of helpers.
Connor Hellebuyck made 14 saves for Winnipeg, which claimed the Presidents’ Trophy for the NHL’s best regular-season record (56-22-4).
“They are just two elite players who see the game so well,” Hellebuyck said of Connor and Scheifele.
“There are guys with a ton of skill and then there are guys who are smart. They kind of have both. And when you put them together, they use both. That’s what makes them so elite together.”
Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou each scored on the power play for St. Louis. Oskar Sundqvist added one at even strength and Justin Faulk had two assists.
Jordan Binnington stopped 21 shots for the Blues, which grabbed the Western Conference’s final wild-card spot with a final-game victory (44-30-8).
Even St. Louis head coach Jim Montgomery was asked about what makes Scheifele and Connor a force to be reckoned with.
“Skill and talent,” he said. “They make plays, poised plays. I mean that game-winning goal is a high-end play.”
Kyrou’s goal at 1:13 of the second made it 3-2, but top-line winger Iafallo got a pass from Scheifele behind the net and tied it at 9:18 of the third to spark the comeback.
“That’s playoff hockey,” Hellebuyck said. “You have to play right to the last minute and right to the last second. It was fun.
“The guys were buzzing out there. I didn’t get a whole lot of action in the third, but it was really fun to watch and be a part of. There will be a lot more.”
The Jets outshot the visitors 9-2 in the third.
“You have to control your emotions,” Blues captain Brayden Schenn said. “It’s the playoffs and special teams are huge. … We’ll be fine for [the] next game. Obviously, Game 1 a lot of emotion with the buildup.”
The Jets were 1-for-4 on the power play and the Blues 2-for-3.
