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New York Times
21-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Winnipeg Jets unsung Game 1 hero Alex Iafallo is used to doing things the hard way
It was a cold winter's day when Alex Iafallo's unique call for help appeared in the Winnipeg Jets player group chat. 'Does anybody have a chainsaw?' he asked. At first, no one knew what Iafallo wanted the chainsaw for. He's a known outdoor adventurer and camping enthusiast, but it was the middle of winter. He also lives in an apartment building: Iafallo isn't in charge of his own landscaping. Advertisement One teammate, speaking anonymously for a Jets player poll, tried to explain things. 'I would say Alex Iafallo (is the best at playing outside) and it's really not that close,' he said. 'He was asking me for a chainsaw earlier in the year to go cut out some ice, and I said, 'Dude, just get an ice auger.' He said, 'No, no, no. I want to do it old-school.' I guess chainsaws are old-school, but the guy is out there building igloos and stuff.' Iafallo is a unique character, soft-spoken in a scrum but playful and lighthearted with his teammates. In Los Angeles, where Iafallo regularly played on the top line with Anze Kopitar, he once sent a single roll of toilet paper to a teammate's house — via drone — back in 2020. In Winnipeg, where Iafallo scored the goal that tied Game 1 by driving the net and burying Mark Scheifele's rebound, he's known for his hard work on the ice and his appreciation of Manitoba's outdoors. Iafallo denied the igloo theory behind his chainsaw request, but the actual reason is just as wild. 'I wanted to jump into the river, like for a cold tub,' Iafallo told The Athletic in a recent interview. In Winnipeg? In winter? 'Yeah. In the Red,' Iafallo said. 'A stupid idea, but … I couldn't find the chainsaw.' This is the story of how an undrafted collegiate player with a unique sense of adventure became a clutch scorer for Winnipeg, stepping up from the fourth line to the first when Gabriel Vilardi was hurt. The more you speak with Iafallo, the less surprising it is that he wins his on-ice battles on a nightly basis or scored the goal that he did in Game 1. He's used to getting things done the hard way. He tends to insist upon it. Julianna Iafallo is a physical therapist, a retired NWHL hockey player and Alex Iafallo's little sister. She described her family's upbringing as 'outdoorsy,' but said her brother took that to the extreme. While the average Iafallo summer vacation meant hiking, camping and visiting national parks throughout the United States, Julianna said Alex is unique even among their family. Advertisement 'That (chainsaw request) sounds just like him,' she said. 'He is always trying to do things the old way rather than taking the easy way out.' What does this mean, exactly? Last summer, Iafallo wanted to get a fishing boat to add to his offseason adventures. Though he was three years into a contract that paid an annual average value of $4 million, he found a boat he liked on Facebook Marketplace and fixed it up himself. Julianna remembers that when they were teenagers, Alex and his friends did mechanical work on his family's four-wheelers and dirt bikes for pleasure. Fixing things is more satisfying to Iafallo than taking the easy route, she said. More recently, Iafallo's road trips have become a particular point of legend among his Jets teammates. Iafallo doesn't fly to or from Winnipeg to start the season. He drives, regardless of the distance. When the Jets acquired him, Iafallo was camping in a California mountain range and wasn't near his phone. A week went by between the blockbuster trade news and Iafallo's first interview because Iafallo was off the grid. 'He was camping for a week,' said the teammate who first proposed the igloo theory. 'That's why he didn't hear about it. Just put his phone away, like 'See ya!'' All of Iafallo's offseason pursuits seem to involve hard work, consistency and a little bit of madness. It is perhaps unsurprising that he is the sort of hockey player who fights to get to the hard areas of the ice. 'I just like doing things the wild way,' Iafallo told The Athletic. 'I just like camping, cruising around and finding good mountains and trails.' Contrast Iafallo's understated phrasing with the depiction given by teammate Morgan Barron. Iafallo and Barron played together for most of the season, prior to Iafallo's promotion to the top line due to Vilardi's injury. Barron said he admires Iafallo for his 'unwavering approach' at the rink, whether he gets 10 minutes or 20 on any given night. Advertisement Barron laughs when he thinks about the difference in their offseason drive home. 'I think we have a similar length of drive, except I always try to find a few nice hotels to stay in,' Barron said. 'Al just pops up his tent on the back of his truck and stays wherever he can find on the side of the road. You can draw that parallel to the way he works on the ice.' A post shared by Alex Iafallo (@alex_iafallo) Winnipeg didn't love its start to Game 1. The St. Louis Blues' forecheck was effective, limiting Jets breakouts and disrupting Winnipeg's rhythm. Arniel said on Sunday that the game turned in Winnipeg's favour in the second and third periods when the Jets started executing five-man breakouts. 'That first period, we weren't crisp. We … looked nervous. We didn't execute as well as we usually do and it had a lot to do (with) our breakouts,' Arniel said. 'But I thought we did a better job in the second period and in the third of our five-man breakouts, us supporting, coming back, playing fast. Those are all things that when we're on our game, we're doing well. It also leads you to play in their end of the rink a lot more.' There is no better example of this than Scheifele's support for Dylan Samberg and Neal Pionk in the build-up to Iafallo's tying goal. Adjustments for Winnipeg against the Blues on Monday could come in the form of breakout tweaks. If the Jets can find rush offence, they'll take it, but their goal is to be better prepared to do things the hard way from the opening faceoff. Doing things the hard way is Iafallo's calling card. On Sunday, Iafallo was asked by one reporter: If Scheifele and Kyle Connor are the artists on that line, what trade would Iafallo use to describe himself? Before Iafallo had the chance to answer, someone suggested 'brick layer.' 'Brick layer,' Iafallo said, repeating the word. 'Yeah, I like that. Just get to the net.' Advertisement He's starting to sound more like the sort of person who would ask his teammates for a chainsaw in the middle of winter, no? The length of Iafallo's top line run is unclear. Vilardi skated at Sunday's optional practice, wearing a non-contact jersey, but his return does not appear to be imminent. I'd expect a slow progression out of the non-contact jersey and into heavier practices before a return — perhaps late in the Blues series or in time for Round 2. Nikolaj Ehlers isn't skating yet; he remains out week to week, while Rasmus Kupari has been cleared from concussion protocol but needs time to get back up to speed. The Jets' depth is getting tested, perhaps to its limit, but depth is a unique strength of the Jets roster. 'Because of that flexibility we have, you don't necessarily see him on the top line without injuries, but he's a player who is capable and then some of doing that,' Barron said. 'I think people don't often appreciate how great a player he is. He played on the first line in L.A. and scored some huge playoff goals along the way.' Iafallo has already scored a huge playoff goal in Round 1. It's hard to believe he wasn't drafted, despite playing four years at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, including time spent with future NHL players like Pionk and Dominic Toninato. Now Iafallo is fresh off signing a three-year contract extension and is playing first-line minutes on a Presidents' Trophy-winning team with Stanley Cup aspirations. If it is meant to last, a playoff run also takes a dogged approach: players willing to do the right things over and over again until they get rewarded. Fixing four-wheelers and camping in remote mountains might not seem like playoff training, but there are parallels. Iafallo's life, on and off the ice, is about hard work — not in a single moment but over extended periods. Barron sees a link between Iafallo's approach off the ice and his tenacity on it; Iafallo says he's just trying to give the Jets the best version of himself. 'I just stay mentally prepared. I'm ready to go in different scenarios,' Iafallo said. 'Everyone wants to contribute the right way. You've got to do your job and give everything to the team. Playoffs is a step up. It's go time.' (Photo of Alex Iafallo celebrating his Game 1 goal with Kyle Connor: Terrence Lee / Imagn Images)
New York Times
20-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Jets score late winner to down Blues in Game 1: Takeaways
The Presidents' Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets made it clear this week that they are judging their season by the quality of their playoffs. Their 5-3 win on home ice in Game 1 showed that they are more resilient than ever. The way the Jets kept pushing in the third period, with Alex Iafallo tying the game on a rebound and Kyle Connor scoring the game winning goal with 1:36 left in the game, an early review of Winnipeg's playoffs shows that they're resilient when it counts. Advertisement Winnipeg took a game that was slipping away – and often controlled by Blues' stars Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou – and turned it into a 1-0 series lead. Iafallo's goal tied Game 1 with 10:42 left in the third period and Winnipeg's top line – with Iafallo in place of injured Gabriel Vilardi – kept pushing until Connor delivered the late game-winning goal. Connor's goal brought a raucous home crowd to its feet, where it remained as Adam Lowry scored the empty net goal that sealed the 5-3 win. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 14-of-17 shots in the win. The Jets controlled the flow of play for large portions of the game but were burned early when Thomas and Kyrou each scored with the man advantage and Oskar Sundqvist took advantage of a failed Morgan Barron clear and a puck that bounced awkwardly off of Luke Schenn. The Jets have preached the benefits of 'scar tissue' from last year's playoffs and are meant to be a more resilient group this year. They've shown that to take a 1-0 lead against a hard-working, hard-checking Blues team in Game 1. Iafallo is one of Winnipeg's best forecheckers, hardest backcheckers, and most tenacious forwards. Coach Scott Arniel likes to refer to him as a Swiss Army knife for his ability to play any role that the coaches ask of him. He was also a fourth-line player for most of the season. Iafallo scored four goals and three assists in 11 games upon his sudden promotion when Gabriel Vilardi got hurt, but no play he made was as big as the goal he scored against St. Louis in Game 1. With Mark Scheifele and Connor cycling on the outside, trying desperately to find a chance in the middle, Iafallo drove to the net and jumped on a Scheifele rebound, scoring the game-tying goal while off balance in the slot. Hellebuyck is facing down playoff demons this year after giving up 24 goals in five games to Colorado last year. The Jets' two-time Vezina Trophy winner, who has been the best goaltender in the world again this season, gave up three goals on St. Louis' first three quality chances of the game. Winnipeg needs to do much more to help him out, but Hellebuyck rose to the occasion all the same. Connor Hellebuyck made this breakaway save on Jordan Kyrou look easy. Huge save considering the score and situation. — Jesse Granger (@JesseGranger_) April 19, 2025 Game 1 could have gone differently. St. Louis' first goal came as the Jets' PK chased transition offence, failing to get the puck out, and leaving Robert Thomas all alone in the circle. The chaotic bounce off of Luke Schenn that helped Oskar Sundqvist score the Blues' second goal came after a failed Barron clear, while Kyrou's power play goal took advantage of a Sundqvist screen. Hellebuyck did his part to keep the Jets in the game, stopping Kyrou's breakaway fivehole attempt after Dylan Samberg misplayed a puck in the neutral zone, and stopped everything he faced in the third. This could be the first step in Hellebuyck erasing demons from playoffs past. Scheifele got the Jets' first goal on the power play, thanks to a fortunate bounce off of Ryan Suter. There were parts of the second period when Scheifele and Connor ran their two-man offensive game, relying on cutbacks, quick turns, and perimeter play to open up seams – and it almost paid off, with Binnington going post-to-post to make two tough saves off of Connor. Advertisement Connor was stopped on two cross-seam passes – one from Scheifele, one on the power play from Cole Perfetti – before breaking through with the game-winning goal in the third. He was dancing all night, although some of his cutbacks kept him to the outside. But there is a realistic, believable world in which Connor and Scheifele take over parts of the series the way they did in Game 1. They're going to need to get to inside ice and execute when they get there – and it took until the third period for them to break through. Iafallo was the energizer on that line all night, knocking down pucks that helped Winnipeg's stars go to work. One of the big storylines in the series is the fact that brothers Luke and Brayden Schenn are going up against each other. In the days leading up to Game 1, Luke told reporters that younger brother Brayden, captain of the Blues, was instrumental in re-establishing the culture in St. Louis, which helped them get back into the playoff picture. 'I agree with Luke,' Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. 'I don't think we're in this situation if it's not for Brayden Schenn. There were really trying times during the regular season for our group and he was the glue that kept us together.' But if you don't need to wonder which Schenn fans at Canada Life Centre were supporting Saturday. After Brayden laid a hit on Jets' captain Adam Lowry, the crowd began chanting: 'Luke is better! Luke is better!' Blues center Robert Thomas ended the regular season on a 12-game point-streak, in which he had 25 points (4 goals, 21 assists). He picked up where he left off in Game 1 against the Jets Saturday, scoring the first goal of the NHL playoffs, a power-play goal for a 1-0 lead. 'Dominance,' Blues forward Jake Neighbours said. 'I think everybody's seen that he's taken it to a different level. He's been putting his name in the conversation of superstar status in this league. Personally, I feel like he's been in that conversation for three years now, but this year the production is up a little bit since the 4 Nations (Face-Off). Advertisement 'But I think the No. 1 thing is his defensive game. You've got to worry about him putting up three or four points on you every night, but at the same time you're not going to get a lot of looks with him on the ice. Just the way he's able to control the game from both ends of the ice, almost at ease, is pretty impressive.' Thomas has feasted on the Jets this season. In four regular-season games, he had three goals and five assists. So with the power-play goal Saturday, he has four goals and nine points in five games against them. At the time of his goal in Game 1, he had four goals on just 10 shots. (Top photo of Mark Scheifele's Game 1 goal: Terrence Lee / Imagn Images)
Fox Sports
08-04-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Iafallo scores in third period as Jets win 3-1 to end Blues' 12-game win streak
Associated Press WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Alex Iafallo scored the tiebreaking goal in the third period and the Winnipeg Jets beat St. Louis 3-1 on Monday night, ending the Blues' 12-game winning streak. Morgan Barron and Adam Lowry also scored for the Jets, who got their franchise-record 53rd win. Connor Hellebuyck had 14 saves to get his 44th win and ties his franchise record from 2017-18. Pavel Buchnevich scored and Joel Hofer had 23 saves for St. Louis, which holds the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference — two points ahead of idle Minnesota. Iafallo gave the Jets a 2-1 lead as he scored off a rebound at 7:05 of the third. Lowry added an empty-netter with 9 seconds left to seal the win. Winnipeg outshot St. Louis 8-3 in the first period, and the Blues led 14-3 in blocked shots. Barron beat Blues forward Mathieu Joseph to a loose puck, curved around him and shot the puck past Hofer on the stick side for a 1-0 lead at 2:34 of the second. Buchnevich tied it after Robert Thomas sent him a pass from behind the net out front and he beat Hellebuyck at 7:27. Takeaways Jets: Winnipeg has 110 points, extending its lead over second-place Dallas to five points in the Central Divisioin. The Jets are three points ahead of Eastern Conference-leading Washington in the Presidents' Trophy race. Blues: The Blues blocked 12 shots in the game's first 11 minutes. Winnipeg hadn't blocked one and was up 4-1 in shots on goal. Key moment After Buchnevich lost the puck along the boards, Kyle Connor scooped it up, shot it at Hofer and Iafallo put in the rebound to make it 2-1 at 7:05 of the third period with this 14th goal of the season. Key stat The Jets have held their opponent to under 30 shots in 36 of the past 39 games, including 17 consecutive games. That is the longest stretch in the league this season. Up next Blues visit Edmonton on Wednesday, and Jets play at Dallas on Thursday. ___ AP NHL: recommended
Washington Post
08-04-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Iafallo scores in third period as Jets win 3-1 to end Blues' 12-game win streak
WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Alex Iafallo scored the tiebreaking goal in the third period and the Winnipeg Jets beat St. Louis 3-1 on Monday night, ending the Blues' 12-game winning streak. Morgan Barron and Adam Lowry also scored for the Jets, who got their franchise-record 53rd win. Connor Hellebuyck had 14 saves to get his 44th win and ties his franchise record from 2017-18. Pavel Buchnevich scored and Joel Hofer had 23 saves for St. Louis, which holds the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference — two points ahead of idle Minnesota. Iafallo gave the Jets a 2-1 lead as he scored off a rebound at 7:05 of the third. Lowry added an empty-netter with 9 seconds left to seal the win. Winnipeg outshot St. Louis 8-3 in the first period, and the Blues led 14-3 in blocked shots. Barron beat Blues forward Mathieu Joseph to a loose puck, curved around him and shot the puck past Hofer on the stick side for a 1-0 lead at 2:34 of the second. Buchnevich tied it after Robert Thomas sent him a pass from behind the net out front and he beat Hellebuyck at 7:27. Jets: Winnipeg has 110 points, extending its lead over second-place Dallas to five points in the Central Divisioin. The Jets are three points ahead of Eastern Conference-leading Washington in the Presidents' Trophy race. Blues: The Blues blocked 12 shots in the game's first 11 minutes. Winnipeg hadn't blocked one and was up 4-1 in shots on goal. After Buchnevich lost the puck along the boards, Kyle Connor scooped it up, shot it at Hofer and Iafallo put in the rebound to make it 2-1 at 7:05 of the third period with this 14th goal of the season. The Jets have held their opponent to under 30 shots in 36 of the past 39 games, including 17 consecutive games. That is the longest stretch in the league this season. Blues visit Edmonton on Wednesday, and Jets play at Dallas on Thursday. ___ AP NHL:
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Iafallo scores in third period as Jets win 3-1 to end Blues' 12-game win streak
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Alex Iafallo scored the tiebreaking goal in the third period and the Winnipeg Jets beat St. Louis 3-1 on Monday night, ending the Blues' 12-game winning streak. Morgan Barron and Adam Lowry also scored for the Jets, who got their franchise-record 53rd win. Connor Hellebuyck had 14 saves to get his 44th win and ties his franchise record from 2017-18. Pavel Buchnevich scored and Joel Hofer had 23 saves for St. Louis, which holds the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference — two points ahead of idle Minnesota. Iafallo gave the Jets a 2-1 lead as he scored off a rebound at 7:05 of the third. Lowry added an empty-netter with 9 seconds left to seal the win. Winnipeg outshot St. Louis 8-3 in the first period, and the Blues led 14-3 in blocked shots. Barron beat Blues forward Mathieu Joseph to a loose puck, curved around him and shot the puck past Hofer on the stick side for a 1-0 lead at 2:34 of the second. Buchnevich tied it after Robert Thomas sent him a pass from behind the net out front and he beat Hellebuyck at 7:27. Takeaways Jets: Winnipeg has 110 points, extending its lead over second-place Dallas to five points in the Central Divisioin. The Jets are three points ahead of Eastern Conference-leading Washington in the Presidents' Trophy race. Blues: The Blues blocked 12 shots in the game's first 11 minutes. Winnipeg hadn't blocked one and was up 4-1 in shots on goal. Key moment After Buchnevich lost the puck along the boards, Kyle Connor scooped it up, shot it at Hofer and Iafallo put in the rebound to make it 2-1 at 7:05 of the third period with this 14th goal of the season. Key stat The Jets have held their opponent to under 30 shots in 36 of the past 39 games, including 17 consecutive games. That is the longest stretch in the league this season. Up next Blues visit Edmonton on Wednesday, and Jets play at Dallas on Thursday. ___ AP NHL:
