The Jets snuff the Blues

Eighteen seconds in the second sink St. Louis

Two goals, eighteen seconds

Qualification night lit all 32 candles, and in Winnipeg one of two would not last the evening. The St. Louis Blues, 23rd of 32 a season ago, visited Canada Life Centre to face the Winnipeg Jets, 14th last year. Neither club had any Gauntlet past to lean on. Lose here and your flame went dark on the very first night.

The first period passed without a goal. Then the Jets struck twice in a blink. David Gustafsson snapped one home at 2:55 of the second, from Cole Perfetti and Dylan DeMelo. Just 0:18 later Mason Appleton snapped another, fed by Adam Lowry and Neal Pionk.

The Blues fight back

St. Louis answered at 18:25 of the second. With Dylan Samberg serving a high-sticking minor, Pavel Buchnevich tipped in a power-play feed from Brayden Schenn and Jordan Kyrou. Early in the third Kyle Connor rebuilt the cushion, wristing one in at 4:10 off a Nate Schmidt pass. It held up as the winner.

The Blues pulled their goalie for an extra attacker, and Robert Thomas wristed one home at 16:37, Buchnevich assisting. One goal in it again. Connor Hellebuyck held firm, stopping 18 of 20 shots, and Morgan Barron sent a wrist shot into the empty net at 18:50. The Blues' candle went cold. The Jets burn on, one of 20 flames still lit.