Winnipeg, Manitoba is rarely mentioned as a destination that needs to be on your vacation itinerary. But anyone who's traveled to the hockey-mad city to witness the hometown Jets take the ice at Bell MTS Place knows it's a true spectacle of sport - especially in the playoffs.

For everyone who couldn't make the trip to southern Manitoba, here are some of the best photos and clips from the Jets' 7-4 smackdown of the Nashville Predators in Game 3.

The game, the crowd, the atmosphere - Tuesday night was a special one for the Winnipeg whiteout.

The calm before the storm.

Two CF-18 Hornets from the Royal Canadian Air Force helped get the crowd fired up before puck drop.

Apparently, the Jets faithful got the memo about the all-white attire.

Yeah, that atmosphere looks like a little bit of fun.

What's a postseason hockey game without crushing a few cold ones?

Make sure the sound is on and up for this clip of Dustin Byfuglien's go-ahead goal. Seems just a wee bit rowdy at Bell MTS Place.

Speaking of Big Buff, he had one of the best postseason games of his career, notching two goals and an assist.

Head to toe, hockey heads in Winnipeg are doing it right.

Blake Wheeler's game-winning goal in the third period sealed the victory for the Jets on a ridiculously raucous night in the Peg.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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This may be their year.

For the first time since Game 1 of their 2016 matchup, the Washington Capitals have edged the Pittsburgh Penguins for the lead in a playoff series.

The Capitals defeated the Penguins 4-3 in Game 3 on Tuesday, putting themselves up 2-1 thanks to a late winner by captain Alex Ovechkin.

This spring marks the third straight playoff meeting between Pittsburgh and Washington. Here's how the last two series played out:

2017

2016

The Capitals have the chance to push their series lead to 3-1 when they head to Pittsburgh for Game 4 on Thursday.

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Zach Aston-Reese suffered a broken jaw that will require surgery, as well as a concussion from a hit delivered by Tom Wilson during Game 3, Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan announced.

The check was delivered during the second period; Aston-Reese was bloodied and skated off to the locker room in obvious frustration, while Wilson was not penalized.

Sullivan and Capitals coach Barry Trotz had different takes on the hit:

George Parros, who declined to suspend Wilson after a high hit in Game 2, was in attendance Tuesday and will likely be speaking to the Washington forward prior to Game 4.

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Tom Wilson is under scrutiny once again.

The Washington Capitals winger was on the giving end of another crushing check during Game 3 against Pittsburgh, this time at Zach Aston-Reese's expense.

Aston-Reese left the ice bleeding while throwing his glove into the bench. Wilson did not receive a penalty on the play.

Wilson caught Brian Dumoulin with a high hit in Game 2 that also went unpenalized in any fashion.

Interestingly, NHL Department of Player Safety head George Parros was in the building for Game 3, and may be in contact with Wilson afterward.

Aston-Reese was not on the ice to begin the third period.

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The Minnesota Wild have extended their search for a new general manager.

According to The Athletic's Michael Russo, John Ferguson Jr., who serves as the Boston Bruins' director of player personnel, spent Tuesday in Minnesota interviewing with Wild owner Craig Leipold and president Matt Majka.

On Wednesday, New Jersey Devils assistant GM Tom Fitzgerald is expected to go through the same process, and last week, Columbus Blue Jackets assistant general manager Bill Zito was in Minnesota for an interview.

All this after Nashville Predators assistant GM Paul Fenton also traveled to Minnesota to put his hat in the ring.

The Wild fired longtime executive Chuck Fletcher after being eliminated from the playoffs in five games at the hands of the Winnipeg Jets, marking the third consecutive season that Minnesota has been set aside in the first round.

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Nashville Predators forward Calle Jarnkrok won't be in the lineup for Game 3 against the Winnipeg Jets due to an apparent injury, according to the Tennessean's Adam Vingan.

Miikka Salomaki draws into the lineup in place of Jarnkrok. He skated with Mike Fisher and Ryan Hartman in the pregame line rushes.

Jarnkrok missed the first three games of Nashville's opening-round series against the Colorado Avalanche due to an upper-body ailment.

He has one point through five playoff appearances after he wrapped up the regular season with 16 goals and 19 assists.

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Help is on the way for the Pittsburgh Penguins, as forward Evgeni Malkin will play against the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night after missing the last three games with an undisclosed injury.

Malkin returned to practice Saturday in a full-contact jersey, and resumes game action after missing Game 6 of the Penguins' series versus the Philadelphia Flyers and the first two games of their second-round series against the Capitals.

Pittsburgh is looking to gain a series lead by defending home ice Tuesday night.

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If you haven't heard by now, hockey fans in Nashville have developed a fairly fishy fascination with heaving dead catfish on the ice at Predators home playoff games. But not everyone is thrilled about it.

One of the groups opposed to the act is PETA, which lashed out at the Tennesse Titans offensive line on Monday after some of the players fired up the Nashville crowd during Game 3 on Sunday using a massive catfish.

PETA didn't appreciate the pregame performance, prompting this response to the Titans and their celebration:

Whether you agree with PETA's statement or not, you have to admit that hockey in Nashville looks like a pretty wild ride.

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Count Jim Montgomery among the candidates to become the next head coach of the Dallas Stars.

The University of Denver bench boss is in the mix to fill the Stars' coaching vacancy, reports TSN's Frank Seravalli. But it's a crowded field, with TSN's Pierre LeBrun adding that Dallas has about 10 names on its wishlist.

The Stars are in search of a new head coach following the retirement of Ken Hitchcock, who called it a career after one final season in Dallas.

The search reportedly included Bill Peters prior to his hiring as the new coach of the Calgary Flames. Peters spent the last four seasons behind the bench of the Carolina Hurricanes.

Last offseason, Montgomery received consideration by the Florida Panthers before Bob Boughner was ultimately named head coach.

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Dale Tallon will have money to spend this summer.

The Florida Panthers general manager confirmed Tuesday that he'll be able to pursue major free agents once the signing period begins July 1.

"We’ve identified and we like certain players," Tallon told Matthew DeFranks of the Sun-Sentinel. "We have it in our budget. We’re going to do what we can to improve our team."

His statement comes as the expansion Golden Knights roll on in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, with two former Panthers on the top line, namely Reilly Smith and Jonathan Marchessault. The latter was believed to have been offered to Vegas as an incentive to take on the former's cap hit, leading to fears of a self-imposed salary cap.

That appears neither here nor there at the moment for Tallon, who'll be looking to upgrade both up front and on the blue line.

"My preference would probably be both, but it depends on what it is, and who it is, and when it is," he qualified. "I think our goals against has got to get better as well. I think it can improve. I guess defense, probably. I would like to address both needs possibly."

Florida finished 16th overall in the NHL standings but failed to clinch an Eastern Conference playoff spot, finishing a point behind New Jersey.

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