Oettinger makes 31 saves, Ehlers scores lone goal for Winnipeg in Game 4
The Winnipeg Jets road losing streak in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs has reached five games as they fell 3-1 to the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center. Nikolaj Ehlers scored for the Jets who now trail the best-of-seven series three games to one. Connor Hellebuyck made 21 saves to fall to 5-6, the series shifts back to the Manitoba capital for Game 5 on Thursday at Canada Life Centre.
#NHLJets Nikolaj Ehlers scores his first true road goal of his playoff career (18 games).
His previously credited road goal was in the August 2020 bubble. pic.twitter.com/4TDlkqtOHV
OETTINGER THE STORY
Jake Oettinger backed up Connor Hellebuyck at the 4 Nations Face-Off but Tuesday night the Stars goaltender was the story. The Jets played another solid road game but could not solve Oettinger who ended up making 31 saves in his best performance of the series. Possibly his best save came with the Stars leading 2-1 and on the power play, Kyle Connor came in on a shorthanded breakaway and Oettinger shut the door. Moments later, Dallas scored on the man advantage for the insurance marker.
STARS SPECIAL TEAMS BETTER
Much like Game 3, the Stars opened the scoring on the power play when Mikael Granlund walked up the middle of ice and beat Connor Hellebuyck with a long wrist shot. With Dallas leading by one in the third period, Haydn Fleury got a double-minor for high sticking and as the second minor penalty was about to expire, Granlund completed the hat trick with his second power play goal of the night. Meanwhile, the Jets went 0-for-3 on the power play, Dallas finished 2-for-4.
“It’s pretty simple answer. They scored and we didn’t, we need to find a way to get some better looks and get pucks through, get the rebounds,” said Nikolaj Ehlers.
“We need to be harder on pucks. They’re hard on pucks when they get in the battles, and we need to be harder and get those pucks out.”
DIFFERENT LOOKS
The Jets looking to even the series decided to mix things up front with some different line combos. Scott Arniel went with Alex Iafallo on the right side of Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor, Adam Lowry in the middle of Gabriel Vilardi and Nikolaj Ehlers, Vlad Namestnikov with Cole Perfetti and Nino Niederreiter and Brandon Tanev, Morgan Barron and Mason Appleton on the fourth line. The Scheifele trio and Namestnikov line led the way with three high danger scoring chances.
“All the lines had zone time. It was different because Dallas went 11-and-7, so kind of knew what the changes would be for them,” said Scott Arniel.
“Just for us, I thought all of our combinations had a lot of opportunities, we just didn’t put the puck in the net.”
