In Winnipeg, the Montreal Candies took a 2-0 series lead on Friday night with a 1-0 shutout of the Jets.
Carey Price made 30 saves for the Canadiens who head home to an arena of fans.
“The guys did a great job in front; it was a pretty complete team effort tonight,” Price said. “We’re playing well on both sides of the puck. We’re just making smart decisions and backing each other up all over the ice.”
Tyler Toffoli scored the game’s only goal early in the middle frame.
Game 3 is set for Montreal on Sunday and hope to stretch their win streak to six.
“It was a difficult time and a challenge for us being down 1-3, but we believed that with what we went through, what we needed to make a push to come back in that round,” Montreal head coach Dominique Ducharme said. “And I think everyone engaging and stepping up their game and doing it together, and then at the same time we’re learning to win as a group.”
The shutout was the first suffered by Winnipeg this season; the Jets took 14 shots in the third period.
“They put the pressure on,” Price said. “Obviously, they’re playing desperate hockey at the end of the game and they’re just funneling pucks towards the net. Like I said, we battle and compete in front and some of them just hit you.”
Toffoli potted a shorthanded goal off a 2-on-1 break out.
“I think when we had our backs against the wall (against Toronto), I think we all looked at ourselves in the mirror and I think we all saw that we had much better,” Montreal’s Phillip Danault said. “This couldn’t be it. It couldn’t be like that, our year. We’ve went through a lot and we’ve got a tight group. Good energy in the locker room.”
The Jets were scoreless in two power play chances, Montreal did not score on its lone man advantage opportunity.
“Big improvement for us from Game 1 (a 5-3 loss on Wednesday),” Winnipeg coach Paul Maurice said. “Neither team scores an even-strength goal, hard-to-come-by opportunities at either end of the ice. But much, much better than our Game 1.”
Connor Hellebuyck made 23 saves in the loss.
“Aside from not scoring, we played a full 60 (minutes) today,” Winnipeg’s Nikolaj Ehlers said. “We played hard and we’ve got to keep that going. We work hard for each other, it’s going to go well. We’re going to take a look at this game and look forward to the next one.”
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