The Winnipeg Jets faced a challenging path in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs but successfully navigated the scare, ultimately defeating the St. Louis Blues in double overtime during a decisive Game 7.
This hard-fought victory sends the Jets to the second round, where they join fellow Canadian teams, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Edmonton Oilers. This simultaneous advancement of three Canadian franchises to the second round marks a significant and rare achievement in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
It has been over two decades since three Canadian teams last reached this stage of the playoffs. The previous occurrence was in the 2003-04 season, when the Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames, and Montreal Canadiens all made it to the quarterfinals.
In that 2003-04 season, the Calgary Flames notably advanced all the way to the Stanley Cup Final before being defeated in a seven-game series by the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Now, Edmonton, Toronto, and Winnipeg carry the hopes of ending Canada`s prolonged Stanley Cup drought. The last time a team from north of the border lifted the trophy was in 1993, when the Montreal Canadiens beat the Los Angeles Kings in five games.
Looking ahead to the second round matchups, the Toronto Maple Leafs are scheduled to begin their series against the defending champion Florida Panthers. The Edmonton Oilers are set to travel to Las Vegas to face the Golden Knights in Game 1 of their series.
Following their marathon triumph over the Blues, the Winnipeg Jets will host the Dallas Stars for the opening game of their second-round series.
