TUESDAY COMMENTARY – THESE AREN’T YOUR DAD’S JETS

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THE FIRST ROUND OF THE STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS ALWAYS FEATURES AT LEAST ONE UPSET. BUT WHO THOUGHT IT WOULD BE THIS ONE?

THE WINNIPEG JETS SWEPT OUT THE EDMONTON OILERS MONDAY NIGHT WITH A 4-3 VICTORY IN TRIPLE OVERTIME OF GAME FOUR. KYLE CONNOR SCORED THE WINNER TO SEND THE JETS ON TO ROUND 2.

THERE AREN’T TOO MANY OUTSIDE OF THE 204 AREA CODE WHO SAW THIS COMING. I ALSO KNEW THERE’D BE AN UPSET IN ROUND 1 BUT DIDN’T DARE TO PREDICT THIS ONE.

IN FACT I SAID OILERS IN SIX. TO SAY THAT WASN’T EVEN CLOSE WOULD BE ACCURATE, BUT DON’T FORGET ALL WERE ONE GOAL GAMES AND THREE OF THEM WENT TO OVERTIME.

SINCE WE LIVE IN THE NHL’S BERMUDA TRIANGLE AND ARE SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF EDMONTON AND WINNIPEG, THIS IS A SERIES I DIDN’T MISS A SECOND OF.

WELL, THAT’S NOT ENTIRELY TRUE. I HIT THE HAY AFTER THE FIRST OVERTIME MONDAY NIGHT AND DON’T REGRET IT.

BUT IT WAS STILL A BIT OF A SHOCK TO WAKE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND SEE THE NOTIFICATION THAT THE JETS HAD SWEPT OUT THE OILERS.

THEY’VE NEVER BEATEN EDMONTON IN THE PLAYOFFS IN FRANCHISE HISTORY!

WHAT CAN I SAY – THESE AREN’T YOUR DAD’S JETS.

BUT IF YOU WATCHED THE GAMES, WINNIPEG HAD THE BETTER GOALTENDING AND ACROSS THE BOARD, THEY MIGHT BE MORE TALENTED. SCHEIFELE, CONNOR, WHEELER, EHLERS, LOWRY, DUBOIS, APPLETON, PIONK … THEY’RE BECOMING HOUSEHOLD NAMES ACROSS THE 306, IF THEY AREN’T ALREADY.

SO NOW IT’S OFF TO ROUND 2 AND GET SET FOR WHAT WILL LIKELY BE A DATE WITH THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS. LIKE THE OILERS, TORONTO FLATTENED WINNIPEG IN THE REGULAR YEAR BUT CLEARLY THAT DOESN’T MEAN ANYTHING NOW.

AS FOR EDMONTON, THEY’VE GOT MORE THAN ENOUGH TO THINK ABOUT IN THE MONTHS AHEAD. THEY’VE GOT PLENTY OF SCARS FROM PLAYOFF WARS THE PAST FEW YEARS BUT THERE IS ZERO EVIDENCE THAT THEY’RE LEARNING ANYTHING FROM THEM.

SO THERE’S NO WAY THEY CAN BRING THAT SAME OUTFIT BACK.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY