DENVER, CO — The Winnipeg Jets rose to the moment, defeating the Colorado Avalanche 5-2 at Ball Arena in Game 7 to advance to the next round.
After a tightly contested game, Alex Iafallo broke a 2-2 tie in the third period to give Winnipeg the lead for good. The Jets then added two empty-net goals in the final minute to secure the win.
Colorado carried the same aggressive approach from Game 6, but it proved costly late in the second period when Nathan MacKinnon was penalized for high-sticking. The Jets capitalized, as Cole Perfetti scored on the power play with 3:26 remaining in the period to keep the game level heading into the third.
In the final frame, Connor Hellebuyck made several key point-blank saves to preserve Winnipeg’s edge. Once the Avalanche pulled their goalie late, the Jets finished the job with two empty-netters to seal the series.
