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This article was published 09/04/2015 (2973 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

DENVER — Get ready to go nuts, Winnipeg. And it’s time to tighten the nuts and bolts at the MTS Centre — heck, anything that moves within a 10-block radius of the downtown barn — because the Jets have their coveted invitation to the Stanley Cup playoffs.

And while history will record the invite didn’t come in dramatic fashion — the Jets fell 1-0 in a shootout to the Colorado Avalanche, but the Los Angeles Kings dropped a 3-1 decision to the Calgary Flames to punch the Jets’ ticket to the post-season — it does end the franchise’s long playoff drought that dates back to 2007.

It also means a Stanley Cup playoff game will be held in Winnipeg for the first time since 1996 and Jets 1.0.

The Jets used their Twitter account after the Flames score became official to also throw their support behind the return of the Whiteout with:

‘Winnipeg Jets clinch 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs berth. #WPGWhiteout”

The club also announced immediately after the game playoffs tickets will go on sale Tuesday, April 14 at 10 a.m.

One eye on Denver, the other on Calgary

The Jets got some big-time help from their longtime rivals west of here this week. Not only did the Edmonton Oilers knock off the Kings on Tuesday night to put L.A. in peril, the Flames snuffed out their final chance with the win Thursday night in Cowtown.

All of this means the Jets are now 42-26-13 and, with 97 points, are four points ahead of the Kings with just one game left in the regular season. The Jets and Flames meet Saturday afternoon in downtown Winnipeg in the regular-season finale.

The result also means the Jets have tied the franchise record for points in a season with 97 — matching the lone other season in which the club advanced to the playoffs, in 2006-07.

Ondrej the Giant stands tall; Berra slightly taller

The Jets looked tentative early and, while they had their moments, they still needed their last line of defence to be brilliant. And Ondrej Pavelec was. But so, too, was the Avs’ Reto Berra who stopped all 41 shots the Jets threw at him and then two more attempts in the shootout to earn the shutout.

But over the last four days, which included wins in Minnesota and St. Louis and the shootout loss to the Avs, Pavelec stood tall, stopping all 83 shots he faced during the road trip. And so a man who was kicked to the curb a month ago will — guaranteed — now lead them into the opening round of the playoffs.

One man out, one man in?

The revolving door on the Jets’ infirmary kept spinning Thursday. Defenceman Toby Enstrom, who missed all three games on the road trip, was on the ice for the Jets’ morning skate and was paired with Dustin Byfuglien, who was serving the final of his four-game suspension.

But as soon as the Jets looked to be getting healthy again, Mathieu Perreault pulled up lame against the Avs. He hobbled off the ice at the end of the first period and suffered another injury in the second only to return a few minutes later. But it was clear he couldn’t continue when his shift lasted just a few seconds before he headed to the dressing room for good. Jiri Tlusty was double-shifted in the third, taking Perreault’s spot on the third line alongside Adam Lowry and Lee Stempniak while still taking his turns with regular linemates Jim Slater and Chris Thorburn.

Maurice hits 1,200

Jets coach Paul Maurice brushed if off during the morning skate — saying it made him feel old — but he did hit the 1,200-game coaching mark Thursday against the Avs. Maurice turned 48 in February and is a long way from 1995 when he replaced Paul Holmgren as head coach of the Hartford Whalers at age 28 — making him the youngest bench boss in NHL history.

OT/Extra fun

The Avs buzzed the Jets in OT, but Pavelec stood tall in stopping Ryan O’Reilly and John Mitchell a couple of times while Winnipeg’s best chances — Bryan Little as the trailer on a two-on-1 and Blake Wheeler on a late wraparound attempt — were both thwarted.

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That sent the game went to the skills competition. Ryan O’Reily and Matt Duchene both beat Pavelec, while Blake Wheeler and Andrew Ladd were stifled by Berra.

It meant little in the end, however, because the Jets’ work all week — earning five of a possible six points — means the franchise took a huge step in its growth Thursday night.

The fun is only just about to begin.

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPEdTait