Veteran forward lost father Saturday morning, nets first goal of pivotal playoff game
WPG@DAL, Gm6: Scheifele puts Jets on top in 2nd period
There was simply no doubt who the first goal of the game was for on Saturday.
Winnipeg Jets forward Mark Scheifele opened the scoring of Game 6 of the Western Conference Second Round against the Dallas Stars with a second period goal after the death of his father this morning.
https://www.nhl.com/news/mark-scheifele-winnipeg-jets-status-for-game-6-unknown-after-dad-dies
Scheifele rebounded a Kyle Connor shot and found the back of the net with 14:32 remaining in the second period.
Announcers calling the game on both ESPN and CBC in Canada made reference to the goal being for Scheifele, a sentiment the Jets echoed on social media.
THAT ONE WAS FOR DAD 💙 pic.twitter.com/gI5Zj2MeGd
The smile says it all 🫶 pic.twitter.com/J0pe2XEiuj
MEANT TO BE 🥺 🥺 🥺 pic.twitter.com/N1eiWja7wM
Before the game the Jets expressed their love and support for their teammate.
“Mark will be playing tonight,” Winnipeg coach Scott Arniel said prior to Game 6. “As he said, that’d be [the] wishes of his dad. He would want him to play, and I know he’s been rooting us on here. I know that he’s been pushing hard. We got to see him earlier in the St. Louis series, and he’s with us. Mark really wants to play for him tonight.”
