Winnipeg Jets lose first home opener to Montreal Canadiens 5-1 -NHL Match Update
The sold-out crowd at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, was going wild to see their newly relocated National Hockey League (NHL) team perform in their first season opener, which they unfortunately lost to a rowdy Montreal Canadiens club, 5-1, on Sunday, October 9.
Montreal goalie, Carey Price, blocked 30 of 31 shot attempts on his goal by Winnipeg and regarded the victory as a very special welcome back to Jets in the city.
"It was special to welcome the Jets back to the League", Price said of the game's historic nature. "It was very exciting for everybody here".
Even though the new team had some top-notch opportunities on the oppositions net, Winnipeg Jets head coach, Claude Noel, could not help praising Price for his saving abilities that had the team nearly locked down.
"I thought we had some good scoring chances", Noel said. "I thought their goalie was good. I thought if he gave up any rebounds he was right on top of the second and third shots. I would like to see us get a better handle on second and third shots and they were there -- we just weren't able to get to them".
Canadiens Mike Cammalleri scored the opening goal at the 3:05 mark unassisted into the first period followed by Tomas Plekanec late into the second to extend the lead to 2-0 entering the third and final period of regulation.
After Nik Antropov scored Winnipeg’s first goal to put them on the scoreboard, Montreal followed by three more on the net and took the whole crowd of over 15,000 by surprise.
Yannick Weber scored his first of the season on the period first power play opportunity as Jets lost Dustin Byfuglien due to a minor for interference. Travis Moen scored another midway through along with Max Pacioretty nearly two minutes later.
Jets might have faced a harsh lost but it was not enough to deplete the crowd of hope and confidence for the future as the team was given a standing ovation even after their 5-1 defeat.
Winnipeg Jets will now travel to Chicago on Thursday to face Blackhawks, while Montreal Canadiens return home to play host to Calgary Flames the same day.
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