Central Division Finals: 1) Nashville Predators VS. 2) Winnipeg Jets

The second round of the playoffs are upon us, with only one non-favored seed from the first round advancing. Each post will contain an entire series.

Game 1: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee. In goal: Connor Hellebuyck for the Jets and Pekka Rinne for the Predators. Winnipeg led off in the first period with a Brandon Tanev goal, his second of the postseason, passed from Bryan Little. The Jets added on in the second period with a Paul Stastny goal, his second of the playoffs, assisted by Patrik Laine and Nikolaj Ehlers. Winnipeg extended the lead as Mark Scheifele scored his fifth of the postseason, thanks to Blake Wheeler and Kyle Connor. Juuse Saros replaced Rinne for the third period. Nashville got on the board in the third period with a Kevin Fiala goal, his second of the playoffs, made possible by Kyle Turris and Ryan Ellis. The Jets iced it at 4-1 with an empty net goal by Scheifele, his second of the game and sixth of the postseason, set up by Wheeler. The three stars were awarded to Hellebuyck (47 for 48 in saves), Scheifele, and Wheeler. The Jets have a 1-0 series lead.

Game 2: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee. In goal: Connor Hellebuyck for the Jets and Pekka Rinne for the Predators. Nashville began in the first period with a Ryan Johansen goal, his third of the postseason, coming off of Filip Forsberg and P.K. Subban. Winnipeg tied it on a Dustin Byfuglien goal, with a lone assist by Mark Scheifele. The Jets took the lead with a Scheifele power play goal, his seventh of the playoffs, powered by Paul Stastny and Patrik Laine. The Predators retied it in the second period with a Subban power play goal, with assists provided by Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson. Nashville took the lead with an Arvidsson goal, his third of the postseason, made possible by Forsberg, who earned a sock trick, and Ryan Ellis. Winnipeg tied it again in the third period with a Brandon Tanev goal, his third of the playoffs, via Bryan Little. The Predators retook the lead with a Johansen goal, his second of the game and fourth of the postseason, with a lone helper from Arvidsson. The Jets tied it again as Scheifele scored his second of the game and eighth of the playoffs, thanks to Blake Wheeler and Byfuglien. Nashville won 5-4 in double overtime with a Kevin Fiala goal, his third of the postseason, fueled by Craig Smith and Kyle Turris. The three stars were Arvidsson, Forsberg, and Scheifele, while Johansen, Subban, and Byfuglien get the honorable mentions. The series is tied at 1 heading to Manitoba.

Game 3: Bell MTS Place, Winnipeg, Manitoba. In goal: Pekka Rinne for the Predators and Connor Hellebuyck for the Jets. Nashville opened in the first period with a Mike Fisher goal, assisted by Ryan Hartman and Mattias Ekholm. The Predators added on with a P.K. Subban power play goal, his second of the postseason, powered by Filip Forsberg and Ryan Johansen. Nashville extended the lead as Austin Watson scored his fifth of the playoffs, courtesy of Ekholm. Winnipeg got on the board in the second period with a Paul Stastny goal, his third of the postseason, coming off of Jacob Trouba. The Jets got closer with a Dustin Byfuglien goal, his second of the playoffs, guided in by Bryan Little and Tyler Myers. Winnipeg tied it as Trouba scored his second of the postseason, thanks to Blake Wheeler and Stastny. The Jets took the lead on another Byfuglien goal, his second of the game and third of the playoffs, via Patrik Laine and Stastny. The Predators tied it again with a Forsberg power play goal, his fifth of the postseason, with helpers from Johansen and Subban. Winnipeg regained the lead with a Wheeler power play goal, his second of the playoffs, made possible by Mark Scheifele and Byfuglien. The Jets padded the lead with a Wheeler empty net goal, his second of the game and third of the postseason, set up by Scheifele. Winnipeg iced it at 7-4 with a Brandon Tanev empty net goal, his fourth of the playoffs, with a lone helper by Adam Lowry. The three stars belonged to Wheeler, Stastny, and Byfuglien, while Trouba, Scheifele, Subban, Ekholm, Forsberg, and Johansen get the honorable mentions. The Jets hold a 2-1 series lead.

Game 4: Bell MTS Place, Winnipeg, Manitoba. In goal: Pekka Rinne for the Predators and Connor Hellebuyck for the Jets. Nashville started in the first period with an unassisted Ryan Hartman goal, his second of the postseason. The Predators added on in the second period with a P.K. Subban power play goal, his third of the playoffs, powered by Filip Forsberg and Ryan Johansen. Winnipeg got on the board in the third period with a Patrik Laine goal, his third of the postseason, a power play goal with a lone assist by Paul Stastny. The Predators held on for a 2-1 win, with the three stars given to Subban, Rinne (32 for 33 in saves), and Hartman. The series heads stateside again tied at 2.

Game 5: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee. In goal: Connor Hellebuyck for the Jets and Pekka Rinne for the Predators. Winnipeg got going in the second period with a Paul Stastny goal, his fourth of the postseason, assisted by Patrik Laine and Nikolaj Ehlers. Nashville tied it with an unassisted Yannick Weber goal. The Jets took the lead on a Kyle Connor goal, passed from Blake Wheeler and Mark Scheifele. Winnipeg added on with a Dustin Byfuglien goal, his fourth of the playoffs, helped along by Brandon Tanev and Adam Lowry. The Jets extended the lead as Connor scored his second of the game, thanks to Wheeler and Byfuglien. The Predators pulled one back on a shorthanded Ryan Johansen goal, his fifth of the postseason, going in unassisted. Winnipeg replied in the third period with a Scheifele goal, his ninth of the playoffs, guided in by Connor and Wheeler, the latter earning a sock trick. The Jets padded the lead on a Mathieu Perreault power play goal, powered by Ehlers. This made it 6-2, the final, with the three stars being Connor, Byfuglien, and Wheeler, while Scheifele and Ehlers gets the honorable mentions. The Jets can clinch advancement at home, currently with a 3-2 series lead.

Game 6: Bell MTS Place, Winnipeg, Manitoba. In goal: Pekka Rinne for the Predators and Connor Hellebuyck for the Jets. Nashville struck first in the first period with a Viktor Arvidsson goal, his fourth of the postseason, coming off of Roman Josi and Ryan Johansen. The Predators added on in the second period with a Filip Forsberg goal, his sixth of the playoffs, via Craig Smith and Johansen. Nashville extended the lead in the third period as Forsberg scored his second of the game and seventh of the postseason, thanks to Arvidsson and Josi. The Predators capped it at 4-0 with an Arvidsson empty net goal, his second of the game and fifth of the playoffs, set up by Forsberg. The three stars were Forsberg, Arvidsson, and Rinne (34 save shutout), while Josi and Johansen get the honorable mentions. The series will be decided in game 7, currently tied at 3. 

Game 7: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee. In goal: Connor Hellebuyck for the Jets and Pekka Rinne for the Predators. Winnipeg kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Tyler Myers goal, his third of the postseason, made possible by Nikolaj Ehlers and Paul Stastny. The Jets added on with a Stastny goal, his fifth of the playoffs, via Brandon Tanev and Ben Chiarot. Juuse Saros replaced Rinne in goal. Nashville got on the board with a P.K. Subban power play goal, his fourth of the postseason, powered by Ryan Johansen and Filip Forsberg. Winnipeg replied in the second period with a Mark Scheifele goal, his tenth of the playoffs, assisted by Blake Wheeler and Kyle Connor. The Jets extended the lead as Stastny scored his second of the game and sixth of the postseason on the power play in the third period, with the help of of Patrik Laine and Dustin Byfuglien. Winnipeg iced it at 5-1 with a Scheifele empty net goal, his second of the game and eleventh of the playoffs, set up by Connor and Wheeler. The three stars were Stastny, Scheifele, and Hellebuyck (36 for 37 in saves), while Wheeler and Connor get the honorable mentions. The Jets advance to the Western Conference Finals against the Vegas Golden Knights.

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