The Winnipeg Jets now trail the Colorado Avalanche 3-1 in their best-of-seven series.
The Winnipeg Jets have fallen behind the Colorado Avalanche three games to one in the best-of-seven opening round Stanley Cup Playoffs series.
On Sunday afternoon, the Winnipeg Jets fell 5-1 to the Avalanche in what was another offensive explosion from the high flying Avalanche.
This time the onslaught of goals came in the second period.
Colorado opened the scoring in the first period, before Winnipeg tied things back up at ones on a Nate Schmidt slap shot.
But that was it for the visitors’ offence, as Colorado poured it on the second period with three goals. Cale Makar put on an offensive display, skating end-to-end before putting a perfectly placed shot past Connor Hellebuyck, who struggled once again in net for the Jets.
Hellebuyck was relieved for Laurent Brossoit for the third period. The only goal scored by Colorado in the final frame came from Val Nichuskin, who got his third of the game - and first career hat trick - into the empty net as time ticked off the clock.
Head coach Rick Bowness opted to change his lineup to the tune of Axel Jonsson-Fjallby coming in for David Gustafsson, while Logan Stanley played in place of Brenden Dillon, who sat out injured after slicing open his hand on Friday.
The Jets will need to figure out their lineup in a possible final game of the season on Tuesday night.
Vlad Namestnikov took a slap shot off the face from defenceman Nate Schmidt late in the third period, drawing a hush over the 18,221 gathered at Ball Arena. He was helped off the ice by Jets medical staff lead Rob Milette.
Bleeding profusely, his status is up in the air for Tuesday.
That game can be viewed live on Sportsnet at 8:30 PM central time. It may or may not be the last hokey game of the season at Canada Life Centre, as the Manitoba Moose have already been eliminated from the Calder Cup Playoffs.