The set-up: The Winnipeg Jets finished the regular season three points shy of the Nashville Predators, who won this year's President's Trophy. The Jets will take teh ice tonight at home for Game 6, one victory way from advancing to the Western Conference final. The Jets were stymied in a frustrating 2-1 Game 4 loss on home ice but broke loose to take a 3-2 series lead in Saturday's 6-2 road triumph. The top line of Blake Wheeler, Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor combined for three goals and eight points, giving the Jets two shots to knock out the Predators, starting with Monday's Game 6. Nashville got the start it wanted in Game 5, dominating play for most of the first period but could not score in the opening period, before the Jets netted four goals in the second. The loss dropped the Predators to 1-2 on home ice in the series but Nashville head coach Peter Laviolette's team already has won one game in Winnipeg this series.

Nashville: The Predators hope to repeat the recipe that led to a 2-1 victory at Winnipeg in Game 4, get an early lead and then dominate the neutral zone. "This group's been built for a game like the one that's coming up," Laviolette told reporters after Saturday's loss. "I've got a tremendous amount of confidence. I believe in them." However, goaltender Pekka Rinne served up another sub-par performance, allowing three goals in a 4:31 span of the second period of Game 5, to turn a 1-1 game into a 4-1 deficit. After two goals early in the third was pulled again in favor of Juuse Saros. Rinne wasn't alone, as two of Nashville's other key players struggled in Game 5 too, as Victor Arvidsson and Austin Watson, who both finished minus-3. Then there is center Ryan Johansen, who scored his fifth goal of the playoffs in Game 5 and with 11 points is one behind F Filip Forsberg for the team lead.

Winnipeg: Kyle Connor set a franchise record for most points in a playoff game by a rookie, scoring his first two goals of the postseason in the pivotal second-period stretch and assisted on Scheifele's goal 28 seconds into the third period. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 38 saves on the night and a determined defense which blocked 16 shots, survived a 20-shot onslaught by Nashville in the third period. Forward Mathieu Perreault, who had missed the past eight games with an injury, scored a goal in his return and gave the Jets a much-needed boost. Mark Scheifele scored his ninth goal in 10 postseason games Saturday and leads the Jets with 14 points, one ahead of Wheeler's 13 (team-best 10 assists).

The pick: Blake Wheeler told reporters Sunday after the Jets returned to Winnipeg that knocking out the Predators will not be easy, while adding; "What we're focused on is what's given us success all year long, that's just finding a way to win one hockey game." The Jets are as healthy as they've been all season and may just get defenseman Dmitry Kulikov back in their lineup on Monday. He has been out for the last two months with a back injury but he has been practicing in a regular-contact jersey for several days. The Jets sure don't want to go back to Nashville for a Game 7. The time to win is NOW! Winnipeg is 36-8-2 at home this season and I'll make them an 8* play.