Golden Knights to face Winnipeg in Western Conference Finals

By Jesse Granger

Thursday, May 10, 2018 | 7:40 p.m.

Board the plane for Winnipeg.

The Golden Knights’ conference final opponent is finally set, as they will head to Winnipeg to face the Jets on Saturday.

The Jets topped the Nashville Predators Thursday night in Game 7 to advance to the third round of the playoffs, where the Golden Knights have been waiting for four days since finishing off the San Jose Sharks in six games.

“They present a great deal of challenge,” Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant said. “They finished with a lot of points near the top of the standings, and we’ll see what happens.”

The Golden Knights will play the first two games in Winnipeg (Saturday and Monday) before the series swings back to Las Vegas for games three and four on May 16 and 18.

Vegas won the regular-season series with the Jets 2-1. The Golden Knights beat the Jets 5-2 in T-Mobile Arena on Nov. 10, then lost to them 7-4 in Winnipeg on Dec. 1. Both of those games were with fourth-string goaltender Max Lagace in net for Vegas.

With Marc-Andre Fleury in net, the Golden Knights bested the Jets 3-2 in overtime on Feb. 1.

“They’re a fast team and they have a lot of offense for sure,” Vegas forward Jonathan Marchessault said. “They have unbelievable players on that roster, and it will definitely be a tough task for sure.”

The Jets may have the best scoring depth of any team in the NHL, with 44-goal scorer Patrik Laine on the second line.

The top line of Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler is one of the most potent lines in the league with a combined 208 points among them in the regular season. What sets Winnipeg apart is that its second line is nearly just as strong, with Laine (70 points), Paul Stastny (53 points) and Nikolaj Ehlers (60 points).

“They are a really fast team,” Golden Knights standout William Karlsson said. “They have a lot of guys that can really skate. They have proved that they can score. It’s going to be tough.”

The Jets aren’t deep at defenseman, but Dustin Byfuglien has been outstanding all season and even better in the playoffs. The 6-foot-5, 260-pound bruiser has already racked up four goals and eight assists in the postseason.

“It’s crucial that we’re on the (defensemen) every time and getting in their shooting lanes,” Karlsson said. “It’s going to be very important.”

In net for Winnipeg is youngster Connor Hellebuyck. The 24-year-old netminder has been good for the Jets this postseason, if inconsistent. The Golden Knights should have a solid advantage in the goaltending matchup in this series.

The Golden Knights also have the advantage of rested legs, while the Jets will play Game 1 with less than 48 hours of recuperation from a grueling seven-game series with the Predators. Last time Vegas had a long layoff before a playoff series, it beat the Sharks 7-0 in Game 1.

“This feels real good,” Gallant said. “You’re deeper into the playoffs and guys need some rest, so I think the day off (Monday) and an optional skate with most guys not skating (Tuesday) was good. I like this setup, and hopefully it works the same way.”

Full series schedule

Saturday, 4 p.m. (Pacific Time): Golden Knights @ Jets on NBC

Monday, 5 p.m.: Golden Knights @ Jets on NBCSN

Wednesday, 6 p.m.: Jets @ Golden Knights on NBCSN

Friday, May 18, 5 p.m.: Jets @ Golden Knights on NBCSN

* Sunday, May 20, noon: Golden Knights @ Jets on NBC

* Tuesday, May 22, 6 p.m.: Jets @ Golden Knights on NBCSN

* Thursday, May 24, 5 p.m.: Golden Knights @ Jets on NBCSN

* If necessary