It's been 19 long years since Winnipeg last hosted a National Hockey League playoff game.
Some fans weren’t even born when that happened but on Monday night some were lucky enough to experience the first Winnipeg Jets whiteout since 1996.
When the players hit the ice for game 3 of the Jets’ first round series against the Anaheim Ducks, the noise inside the sold-out MTS Centre blared and the stands were colored in white.
For those who couldn't score tickets, a seat at the bar was the next best thing but at The Pint on Garry Street you could cut the tension with a knife.
"Just waiting for the first goal, this is big,” said nervous Jets’ fan Jason Kleiner. “Winnipeg's just going to go insane the minute that puck crosses the line."
He was right.
Two decades worth of bottled up emotions broke open and spilled over the city when Lee Stempniak scored the team's first home playoff goal in nearly two decades and gave the Jets an early 1-0 lead in the first period.
At The Pint, fans erupted.
Fan George Valentim said the feeling was unbelievable.
"I think that's what we all needed,” said Valentim. “We were all just waiting around to see who scored first and I think as soon as that happened we just went nuts."
Even though the Jets were trailing the series 2-0 entering game 3 you would not know it from the atmosphere in downtown bars. People were just as excited as they were when this series first started. They were just happy to have playoff hockey in the city.
“Everyone wants to be a part of it and it's amazing,” said fan Kelsi McGonigal.
The home crowd may have helped as the Jets had the lead for most of the game, but they couldn’t hold onto it.
The Ducks scored a late goal in the third period to send the game to overtime and won 5-4 in the extra frame.
The Jets will try to avoid elimination on Wednesday night at MTS Centre against the Ducks in game 4 of the series.
