There's an outbreak in Manitoba and it's been spreading far and wide.
Hockey fans hungry for the Winnipeg Jets' return to the NHL playoffs have broken out in a full fever — or maybe cold chill.
The traditional blizzard of white has hit the city hard, shutting down a main thoroughfare in downtown Winnipeg, next to the Jets' home arena.
"I'm just loving the atmosphere here. We're trying to give it 100 per cent and get this crowd riled up," said Cody Laschyn, who, along with his friends, was decked out in a fighter pilot helmet and blonde Patrik Laine-like beard in honour of the superstar Jets winger.
The three friends were among thousands dressed in white at the street party that shut down Donald Street, next to Winnipeg's Bell MTS Place, with music, food, and big screens to watch Game 1 of the first-round Stanley Cup playoff series between the Jets and Minnesota Wild.
The whiteout, a playoff tradition that started with the Jets 1.0, hasn't been seen in the city since 2015. And that was a brief storm. The Jets were swept out of the post-season that year by the Anaheim Ducks.
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But this is new territory.
After finishing second overall in the NHL regular season this year with a record of 52-20-10, and setting all kinds of franchise records, there are high hopes and an electric excitement.
"It's about time," said Justin Kiezick, who was with friend Daniel Linklater, both dressed all in white and Santa Claus-type beards.
"We're from Winnipeg. We're used to being beat up, that's why we're so resilient. Now it's finally our time."
The Jets, aiming for their first playoff victory in franchise history, haven't lost a game at home since Feb. 27.
Jets flags are flying from Winnipeg's fire trucks, the city's buses are displaying "Go Jets Go," downtown buildings are adorned in Jets colours and messages, and Manitoba-born rocker Tom Cochrane sent the team a good luck message.
The buzz has prompted the Jets to issue a permission slip for whiteout-wearing fans to take to work or school to be excused from their normal attire.
Todd Chwialkowski made the trip from Minnesota and joined in the whiteout crowd, alone in his Wild jersey.
Aside from some friendly boos and joking comments about not belonging, Jets fans have treated him well, Chwialkowski said.
"Winnipeg fans are awesome, as good as there are in the NHL," he said, as a Jets fans walked up to shake his hand, respecting Chwialkowski's moxie.
"I've been to Winnipeg before and it's a great city, a great hockey city. The Jets are my second-favourite team," Chwialkowski said, adding that if they knock out the Wild, he'll be cheering for the Winnipeg team.
"I hope they go deep in the playoffs. This city deserves it."
Game 2 goes Friday night in Winnipeg before the series shifts to the Xcel Energy Centre in Minnesota.
Notebook:
- This is the first-ever playoff meeting between the Jets and Wild.
- The Central Division rivals met four times during the regular season, with the Jets winning three of those matches.
- The Wild are in the playoffs for the sixth straight season, while it's the second time for the Jets since the franchise relocated from Atlanta in 2011. The first was the 2015 series against Anaheim.
- The Jets finished the 2017-18 season with the best home record in the NHL at 32-7-2.
- The last time the team with the best home record in the regular season didn't advance past the first round of the playoffs was in 2012, when the Detroit Red Wings lost to the Nashville Predators in five games.
- Minnesota-born players on the Jets roster include Blake Wheeler, Dustin Byfuglien and Matt Hendricks.
- Wheeler had seven points (2G, 5A) in four games during the 2017-19 regular season against the Wild and has 26 points (11G, 15A) in 27 games against them as a member of the Jets. Byfuglien has 21 points (5G, 16A) against the Wild in 24 games as a Jet.
