Whiteout Street Party will be hot spot as 23,000 Jets fans expected in sweaty weather
Forecast high of 30 C could make for a steaming frenzy as Jets try to finish off Predators in Game 6
The team is back in town and fans are raring to get rowdy in the streets of downtown Winnipeg as the Jets try to finish off the Predators in Game 6 tonight at Bell MTS Place.
Economic Development Winnipeg, which organizes the whiteout street parties outside the arena, plans to start the elaborate party setup this morning.
"The energy of Jets fans so far, we've all seen it, and I think that you're going to see it in a really big way tonight," said Economic Development Winnipeg spokesperson Matt Schaubroeck.
Bell MTS Place has space for about 15,000 fans inside. Organizers are making room for another 23,000 outside and expect the crowd to reach maximum capacity as forecast highs of 30 C could make for one sweaty gathering.
"We've certainly never had to play or watch hockey outside in 30 C weather in Winnipeg, so this is new for all of us," said Schaubroeck.
"Pretty incredible number of Winnipeggers that we're expecting to come downtown and cheer on the Jets tonight."
To help the ice cope with the heat, True North Sports and Entertainment brought in two large dehumidifiers and two 80-ton air-cooled chillers.
"Having these units in place ensures we continue to provide some of the best ice conditions in the NHL, even during warm days like today," said True North spokesperson Rob Wozny. "This is a common practice for arenas around the NHL during the playoffs as we head into the warmer months."
Water stations
Fans are allowed to bring their own water bottles, Schaubroeck said, but security may inspect them to make sure they don't contain alcohol. There will also be water available at two stations where people can fill up for free.
Schaubroeck said organizers aren't expecting conditions to be quite so "sizzling" come game time.
"People should still make sure they're taking precautions today and stay hydrated," he said, adding fans should come early to ensure they get a good viewing spot.
The Jets beat the Predators Saturday 6-2 in Nashville to go up in the series 3-2 and tonight will have a chance at advancing to the first conference final in the city's history.
Before this playoff season, neither the current incarnation of the Jets nor the previous franchise had ever won a second-round NHL playoff game. The Gretzky-era Edmonton Oilers swept the Jets twice in the second round in the 1980s.
The Jets had the best home record in the league during 2017-18 regular season, but the Predators had the best record on the road.
This will be the 11th Jets playoff game and sixth Whiteout Street Party this playoff season. Between 5,000 and 12,000 people have attended each of the street parties so far.
The game gets underway at 8:30 p.m. CT.
Fans are encouraged to bring food for Winnipeg Harvest, which will have a donation bin on site. During the last street party, people donated 1,200 kilograms of food and $3,500 in cash, Economic Development Winnipeg said in a statement.
With files from Meaghan Ketcheson