DENVER -- The Winnipeg Jets will try to return home with a split when they play the Colorado Avalanche in Game 4 of the Western Conference First Round at Ball Arena on Sunday.
The Avalanche broke open a close game in the third period with five unanswered goals, including two on the power play, in their 6-2 win against the Jets in Game 3 on Friday.
"You're trying to accomplish the same things that you did the game before (5-2 win in Game 3) – or at least the good parts of it – and trying to clean up some of the bad and make it tighter and better in all areas," Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said.
"l think your confidence should be high. You're winning some games. You're playing hard. You're playing well, but it's still about focus and execution. When you're playing good teams, when you're down to the (final) 16, it's all about executing at the right time and playing your best hockey on that particular night. Sometimes you have it. Sometimes you don't. You've just got to do the best you possibly can going from game to game."
The Jets are looking to turn the page quickly and regroup for an early start in Game 4.
"It's about getting as much rest and recovery, doing all of those little things to feel our best come Sunday, and it's turning the page," Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey said.
"You can take some real positives from that game (on Friday), especially in the first two periods. It's a seven-game series for a reason. Unfortunately, we dropped this one and Game 4 is pivotal. We need to come out with our game and (play) a full 60-minute game on Sunday."
Teams that take a 3-1 lead in a best-of-7 Stanley Cup Playoffs series have won the series 90.5 percent of the time (306-32).
Here are 3 keys for Game 4:
1. Slowing the Avalanche down
Colorado's speed has been an issue for Winnipeg through the first three games. Trying to contain the Avalanche has clearly been a focal point in the series but the Jets absolutely need to find a way to do it in Game 4.
"You slow them down with better puck management in their zone and making sure we don't get our forwards trapped deep," Jets coach Rick Bowness said. "Their 'D' are coming. Really, it is puck management in their zone and making sure we have good support on the puck, and making sure there is always somebody on the puck.
"If it's a 4-on-3, we can live with that. But they had a couple of 4-on-2s. They do an excellent job of pushing our 'D' back and gaining the blue line and turning up and finding that second wave. Our forwards are going to have to reload and know exactly where they are going to take away that rush."
2. Avalanche appreciating depth
Forwards Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen, and defenseman Cale Makar are three of the Avalanche's biggest threats. Colorado, however, has gotten scoring throughout the lineup.
Makar leads the Avalanche with six points (one goal, five assists). Forward Artturi Lehkonen has five points (three goals, two assists), tied for second with MacKinnon (two goals three assists) and Rantanen (five assists). Casey Mittelstadt has four points (one goal, four assists and four other Avalanche have three points each, including forward Valeri Nichushkin, who has three goals.
It's helped them gain the edge in this series and is something they want to continue.
"It's unreal," MacKinnon said. "All series long, everybody's been really good, and we need that. When we won, we had everyone going, everyone contributing and not just scoring, but you know guys are eating pucks and playing really good two-way hockey."
3. Stay even strength
The Jets allowed two power-play goals in the third period of Game 3 that proved to spark the Avalanche to their win. Winnipeg was playing its best hockey through the first two periods, which were predominantly played 5-on-5, and wants to see more of that in Game 4.
"I thought we did a lot of really good things. We had some more zone time. Still, we've got to clean up the rush game," Jets captain Adam Lowry said. "[The Avalanche] do a great job of generating chances off the rush, they do a great job of getting their 'D' active, especially that Makar pairing, jumping up and creating four-man attacks and creating a little confusion. I think staying on top of their 'D', managing the puck high in the zone and not allowing those easy rush chances against is going to be critical. And just getting back to our style of play."
