Postgame Hat Trick: Jets 3, Wild 2

Wild.com's Dan Myers gives three takeaways from the Wild's 3-2 loss against the Winnipeg Jets in Game 1 of a First Round Stanley Cup Playoff series at Bell MTS Place in Winnipeg on Wednesday night:

1. Joe Morrow's goal with just under eight minutes remaining was the game winner.
Minnesota did its best to execute a game plan that involved getting pucks deep and forechecking the Jets into turnovers. Through 40 minutes, it worked. A late power-play goal by Winnipeg in the second period was the only marker as the Wild went to the final period down a goal.
The teams traded goals early in the period, but slowly the ice started to tilt the way of Winnipeg. Morrow's goal was one of 14 consecutive it had after Minnesota took the lead.
Devan Dubnyk was sensational in defeat, making 37 saves. There wasn't much he could do about any of the three goals he allowed: a power-play goal by Mark Scheifele, a laser from the slot by Patrik Laine or Morrow's winner, which appeared to deflect off Charlie Coyle on the way to the net.
2. It took a bit, but both teams finally found some offense in the third period.
After the Jets scored a late power-play goal in the second period to break a scoreless tie, the Wild and Jets scored three goals in the span of 4:51 to start the third.
First it was Matt Cullen, finishing off a pretty feed from Jordan Greenway, tying the score at 1-1.

Just over two minutes later, Minnesota had its first lead of the postseason when Mikko Koivu blocked a Dustin Byfuglien shot from the point, which sent Mikael Granlund and Zach Parise in on Connor Hellebuyck 2-on-1. One nifty pass by Granlund later, Parise had a tap in.

The lead was short lived however, as Patrik Laine went top-shelf 53 seconds after that to tie the game at 2 apiece.
3. It was a historic night at Bell MTS Place.
The NHL has been around for more than 100 years, so it's not often that someone is the first to do something anymore, but in suiting up and playing in Game 1 on Wednesday, Wild rookie forward Jordan Greenway did just that.
When he jumped over the boards for the first time, Greenway became the first player ever to play in an Olympics, in an NCAA Tournament (with Boston University) and the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the same season.
When one thinks about the sheer amount of talent that has played in all three of those events over the last century, the fact that it hadn't been done before Wednesday is quite astounding. But hats off to Greenway, who after becoming the first African-American to play for the U.S. Olympic men's ice hockey team in February, made some more history in Game 1.
Greenway looked the part too, dishing out a pretty assist on the Wild's first goal.
Related:
- Wild hopes Dubnyk's experience pays dividends - Webisode: Greenway's journey