The lead-up to Game 1 of Round 1 is unmatched for hockey fans.
There are no losses in the loss column, everything is still possible and you’re allowed to dream big.
So it’s no surprise that the atmosphere in both Winnipeg and Vancouver on Sunday was a sight to behold.
The Jets went with their famous whiteout approach, while in Vancouver, it was easy to tell it was the Canucks’ first home playoff game in nine years.
In Winnipeg, the energy from the crowd spurred them to a wild 7-6 win in Game 1.
“It’s bone-chilling,” Jets forward Mark Scheifele said of the home fans after the game. “Best crowd in the league, we’re lucky to have you guys.”
Meanwhile out west, like they did during their run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2011, the Canucks once again came onto the ice to U2’s “Where the Streets Have No Name,” then had franchise legend Kirk McLean crank the siren. It was a stretch that gave even the few Predator fans in the crowd goosebumps.
Could the song also have been a little bit of a shot at the Predators as they cancelled a team trip to see a U2 after an embarrassing 9-2 loss to the Dallas Stars in February? It’s possible.
But troll job or not, vibes were clearly high in the two Canadian cities. Playoff excitement can change quickly, just ask Toronto Maple Leafs fans, but for Sunday at least, it was a good day to be in Vancouver or Winnipeg.
Here is a look at some of the best moments from the two Game 1s:
