3 Keys: Jets at Golden Knights, Game 1 of Western 1st Round

(2WC) Jets at (1P) Golden Knights
Western Conference First Round, Game 1
9:30 p.m. ET: ESPN2, SNW, TVAS2, ATTSN-RM

LAS VEGAS -- Despite the expected early nerves from players on each team, expect a fast start to Game 1 of this best-of-7 first-round matchup at T-Mobile Arena on Tuesday.
The Vegas Golden Knights, the top seed in the Western Conference, will have a rabid crowd at its back, making this one of the most inhospitable rinks for an opposing team in the NHL. But they also have the pressure of playing well in front of fans looking for a winning result.
The Winnipeg Jets, who did not clinch a playoff berth until their penultimate game, are familiar with how loud T-Mobile can be, but Jets coach Rick Bowness believes his team is ready for the challenges that lie ahead.
RELATED: [Complete Golden Knights vs. Jets series coverage]
"No matter what you do, no matter how many games you've played in this league, or how many [Stanley] Cups you've won, that first period of a playoff series, everyone is nervous," Bowness said. "You just have to play your way through it and get into the flow of the game.
"I read some comments from the [Boston] Bruins, they were nervous last night and look at the season they had. Everyone tonight, on both teams, is going to be nervous. You just have to play your way through it."
Here are three keys for Game 1

1. The return of Mark Stone

Vegas forward Mark Stone has not played since Jan. 12 because of a back injury that required surgery Jan. 31. But he was activated off long-term injured reserve Monday and will play in Game 1.
He had 38 points (17 goals, 21 assists) in 43 regular-season games.
Stone, who was born in Winnipeg, dramatically changes the look of the Golden Knights and will present a challenge for the Jets if he is effective immediately.
"He played against us earlier in the season," Bowness said. "We know he's a great hockey player and he's got a great stick, and he's very reliable at both ends of the ice."
Stone played all three games against the Jets this season, each a Golden Knights victory, and had four points (three goals, one assist).
"We just have to be careful not to expect too much for his first game in a long time," Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. "No matter what, he'll be a positive influence for us."

2. Block party

The Golden Knights are all-in when it comes to blocking shots. They blocked an NHL-high 1,494 shots during the regular season.
In the three games against Winnipeg, Vegas blocked 44 shots.
It can be an intimidation factor for opposing offenses to know that it will be difficult to get shots through or that ill-advised shots could be blocked and used to jumpstart the transition game upon which Vegas generates the majority of its offense.
Winnipeg forward Adam Lowry says the Jets have to be mindful but not paralyzed into passing up scoring chances.
"I think, with shot blocking volume, it's important that you have them blocked in the right spots," Lowry said. "You don't want them turning it into transition. You don't want them stepping in front of guys and allowing them to break out of the zone. Obviously we know they're going to block a lot of shots. It's about being smart with your shot selection but not being scared to shoot just because they're going to step in front of a few.
"You have to find that balance of not wasting shots but not being scared to try to get them through too. Like you said, they're going to block some. They're going to collapse low. It's going to be hard to get to the net, it's going to be a battle, but that's something we have to be prepared to do if we want to create some offense, especially if we have it from our sustained zone pressure."

3. No Ehlers for Jets

Winnipeg forward Nikolaj Ehlers will not play after sustaining an upper-body injury against the Minnesota Wild on April 11 and missing the Jets' regular-season finale April 13.
Ehlers practiced Monday but did not take part in an optional morning skate Tuesday.
The Jets were 21st in the NHL during the regular season at 3.00 goals per game. Ehlers had a five-game point streak (three goals, four assists) end in the game he was injured.

Jets projected lineup

Kyle Connor -- Pierre-Luc Dubois -- Mark Scheifele
Kevin Stenlund -- Vladislav Namestnikov -- Blake Wheeler
Nino Niederreiter -- Adam Lowry -- Mason Appleton
Morgan Barron -- Kevin Stenlund -- Saku Maenalanen
Josh Morrissey -- Dylan DeMelo
Brenden Dillon -- Neal Pionk
Dylan Samberg -- Nate Schmidt
Connor Hellebuyck
David Rittich
Scratched:Logan Stanley, Kyle Capobianco, David Gustafsson, Dominic Toninato, Axel Jonsson-Fjallby, Karson Kuhlman
Injured: Cole Perfetti (upper body), Sam Gagner (lower body), Nikolaj Ehlers (upper body)

Golden Knights projected lineup

Ivan Barbashev -- Jack Eichel -- Jonathan Marchessault
Reilly Smith -- William Karlsson -- Phil Kessel
Michael Amadio -- Chandler Stephenson -- Mark Stone
Brett Howden -- Nicolas Roy -- Keegan Kolesar
Alec Martinez -- Alex Pietrangelo
Brayden McNabb -- Shea Theodore
Nicolas Hague -- Zach Whitecloud
Laurent Brossoit
Jonathan Quick
Scratched:Paul Cotter, Kaedan Korczak, Brayden Pachal, Teddy Blueger, Pavel Dorofeyev, Ben Hutton, Adin Hill
Injured: William Carrier (lower body), Logan Thompson (undisclosed)

Status report

Each team held an optional morning skate. … Ehlers will play on the second line after missing the season finale because of an upper-body injury. … Stone will make his return on the third line. … Carrier practiced in a non-contact jersey Tuesday, but the forward will not play.