There were smiles all around as the Winnipeg Jets skated at MTS Centre Tuesday morning before hitting the road for the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs against the Anaheim Ducks.
Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice has coached in the post-season before and said he’s looking forward to returning.
"Coaches need to coach in the playoffs to recharge their batteries because now you're going, 'This is what it's all about,'" said Maurice.
For several members of the team, it'll be their first taste of playing in an NHL playoff series, including rookie forward Adam Lowry.
"It's something you dream about,” said Lowry. “Obviously, getting your first opportunity to do that in your first season it's something special. I think there's going to be a lot of emotions before the game, probably a bit of nerves, too."
Lowry will look to the team's veterans and past cup champions to help calm those nerves - players like Dustin Byfuglien, Michael Frolik and also captain Andrew Ladd who has two Stanley Cup rings.
"In crunch time when things are going to be getting tougher that's where we're going to need to draw from their experience," said Lowry.
As the Western Conference's top team in the regular season, boasting stars like Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry, the Ducks will certainly make it difficult for the Jets to advance to the second round. But that hasn’t stopped some analysts from suggesting Winnipeg could actually upset Anaheim.
"I kind of like the look of the Winnipeg Jets,” said Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie on the TSN Hockey panel. “I don't know if Ondrej Pavelec can carry them deep into the playoffs but I've talked to some coaches in the Western Conference and they said, ‘bar none the Winnipeg Jets are the hardest team to play against.’"
McKenzie also said discipline will be key for the Jets - that they need to stay out of the box to avoid putting players like Getzlaf and Perry on the power play.
Defenceman Tyler Myers said it’s about finding a balance.
"We're going to compete as hard as we can as a group,” said Myers. “I think it's going to come down to smart hockey as well."
The Jets are known around the league for their compete level and that’s something forward Blake Wheeler said will help the team come playoffs.
"The one thing that's for sure is that we're going to compete our tails off every night,” said Wheeler. “That's one thing about our group that's never in question."
CTV Sports Director Shawn Churchill and photographer Scott Andersson are in Anaheim for games one and two and will have playoff updates on CTV News Winnipeg and on winnipeg.ctvnews.ca.
