NHL Game 1 Highlights | Avalanche vs. Jets – April 21, 2024

The NHL Playoffs roared back to life with a heart-stopping opening game between the Winnipeg Jets and the Colorado Avalanche. In a game that featured six lead changes and a frantic finish, the Avalanche emerged victorious 7-4, stealing victory away from the Jets in the dying seconds.

NHL Game 1 Highlights Avalanche vs Jets. April 21, 2024

The Avalanche wasted no time getting on the board, with Valeri Nichushkin scoring the opening goal just minutes into the first period. However, the Jets responded with a vengeance, with Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele each lighting the lamp to give the home team a 2-1 lead.

The second period was a defensive stalemate, with both goaltenders, Connor Hellebuyck and Pavel Francouz, making key saves to keep their teams in the game.

The offensive fireworks resumed in the third period, with both teams trading goals in rapid succession. Nathan McKinnon put the Avalanche back in front, but goals from Adam Lowry and Blake Wheeler gave the Jets a 4-3 lead with under five minutes remaining.

Just when it looked like the Jets were about to steal Game One, the Avalanche clawed their way back. Artturi Lehkonen tied the game with a power-play goal with just over three minutes to play. Then, with only seconds remaining, Cale Makar’s blast from the point found its way through a maze of bodies and into the net, giving the Avalanche a dramatic 7-4 victory.

This high-scoring, seesaw battle is a sign of things to come in what promises to be an epic playoff series. Both teams boast explosive offenses and opportunistic defenses, making it difficult to predict a winner. The momentum has shifted in favor of the Avalanche for now, but the Jets have shown they have the resilience to bounce back. Game Two promises to be another nail-biter.