The Winnipeg Jets are heading to the second round after a major rally in Game 7 and will face another team that also showed resilience in Game 7.
The Jets beat the St. Louis Blues, 4-3, in the second overtime Sunday night on an Adam Lowry goal to set up a meeting with the Dallas Stars.
But the story was how Winnipeg got to overtime.
The Jets were trailing 3-1 with two minutes left in regulation, seemingly poised for another disappointing first-round exit. But Vladislav Namestnikov and Cole Perfetti scored to tie the game. Perfetti’s goal with less than three seconds left was the latest game-tying goal in Game 7 history.
The Jets, playing without No. 1 center Mark Scheifele for a second consecutive game, lost No. 1 defenseman Josh Morrissey in the first period. Defenseman Neal Pionk played 46 minutes and had three assists, including taking the shot that went in off Jets captain Lowry.
The big question heading into Game 7 was the play of Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck, who was pulled in all three games in St. Louis. That remained Sunday when the Blues (Jordan Kyrou) scored on the first shot for the second game in a row, took a 2-0 lead on a Mathieu Joseph goal and got a goal by Radek Faksa with 35 seconds left in the second period for a 3-1 lead.
But Hellebuyck settled down and made the saves he needed to make as the Jets outshot St.. Louis 15-4 in the third period. Winnipeg scored both third-period goals with Hellebuyck on the bench for an extra skater.
The NHL’s No. 1 overall team will host the Stars on Wednesday night in Winnipeg. The Stars overcame a 2-0 lead in the third period to beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-2 on a Mikko Rantanen hat trick. Dallas won the series without its top forward and defenseman.
USA TODAY Sports provided updates on Game 7 between the Winnipeg Jets and St. Louis Blues. Here ae the highlights:
Neal Pionk’s shot goes in off captain Adam Lowry for the winner at 16:10 of the second period. Winnipeg is heading to the second round.
Third-longest Game 7 in NHL history.
Fourth-longest Game 7 in NHL history.
He makes a glove save on Mathieu Joseph’s backhander. He’s looking confident.
The Blues have an all-time record of 11-6 in games that require multiple overtimes. The Jets are 1-2.
The Jets controlled play in that period with an 11-4 edge in shots. Jordan Binnington had to make several big saves. Remember that he and Connor Hellebuyck were the goalies in the 4 Nations Face-Off final. That ended in the first overtime with Binnington’s Team Canada winning. Also remember that the Jets have been playing with five defensemen for most of this game because of an injury to Josh Morrissey. Dylan Samberg has played 36 minutes.
Shots are 10-4 Winnipeg in overtime.
He stops Nic Ehlers with five minutes left in the first overtime.
Brayden Schenn puts the puck over the glass. Blues kill it off.
Winner faces Dallas in the second round.
The Jets score twice in the final two minutes to tie the game. Vladislav Namestnikov and Cole Perfetti (his second of the game) get the goals. Both were scored with Connor Hellebuyck out for an extra skater. The Blues iced the puck several times as Winnipeg was rallying. Shots were 15-4 Jets in the period.
Cole Perfetti scores on a tip in the final seconds to tie the game. We’re heading to overtime. Jets 3, Blues 3
Jets get a chance on a scramble but the puck is stopped on the goal line. A replay confirms no goal.
Vladislav Namestnikov’s shot deflects in off Blues defenseman Ryan Suter’s stick. Blues 3, Jets 2
There’s 3:14 left.
He makes an arm save on Nic Ehlers in tight.
Blues still lead 3-1.
The Jets’ No. 1 defenseman won’t return. He left the game in the first period.
St. Louis on the power play for 90 seconds. Jets kill it off.
The Jets came out much better in the second period. They were physical, blocked shots and got a power play goal from Cole Perfetti. But that all went away when St. Louis’ Radek Faksa scored with 35 seconds. The Jets will have to kill the remaining 90 seconds of a penalty when the third period starts.
Nic Ehlers, who lost the puck before the last Blues goal, is called for tripping. Jets kill the remaining 30 seconds in the period and St. Louis will be on the power play to start the third.
Nic Ehlers loses the puck and Nathan Walker feeds Radek Faksa, who beats Connor Hellebuyck high glove side with 35 seconds left in the period. Could be a killer goal. Blues 3, Jets 1
He’s standing by the side of the net when he deflects in a Kyle Connor shot-pass. The Jets needed just seven seconds to score on the power play. Blues 2, Jets 1
Oskar Sundqvist is called for slashing. Jets had the top power play in the regular season.
He makes a giveaway but stops a Mathieu Joseph shot. He also stops a Brayden Schenn deflection.
They’re throwing hits and have outshot St. Louis 5-0 so far.
Vladislav Namestnikov misses an opportunity and Cole Perfetti collides with Binnington, who gets up slowly. Binnington stays in net.
No sign of Josh Morrissey.
The worst possible start for Winnipeg in the Jets’ first home Game 7. The Blues score on their first shot for the second game in a row and they score another goal that Connor Hellebuyck probably wants back. No. 1 defenseman Josh Morrissey goes to the dressing room after an Oskar Sundqvist hit. Winnipeg also has trouble generating chances. Shots are 7-3 Blues after one period.
Luke Schenn throws a couple big hits.
TBS reports that Jets No. 1 defenseman Morrissey is not on the bench.
Joseph skates into the zone after a Kyle Connor giveaway and beats Connor Hellebuyck clean. The struggling Jets goalie should have stopped that. Blues 2, Jets 0
Hellebuyck gets the save he needs after that first goal, stopping Robert Thomas.
St. Louis scores on its first shot. Connor Hellebuyck is out of position when Colton Parayko passes to Jordan Kyrou, who taps it in 70 seconds into the game. Winnipeg coverage broke down on the play. Blues 1, Jets 0
Winner faces the Stars in the second round.
Game 7 between the Jets and Blues is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.
This goalie matchup is the same one as in the championship game of the 4 Nations Face-Off. Binnington and Canada won that game 3-2 in overtime against Hellebuyck and the USA.
Winnipeg’s Scott Arniel has never been a head coach in an NHL Game 7 but is 3-3 as an assistant or associate coach. St. Louis’ Jim Montgomery is 1-2 as a head coach. That includes a first-round loss in 2023 when he was coach of the Boston Bruins, the No. 1 overall and record-setting team that season. The Bruins won their Game 7 last season.
Blues goalie Jordan Binnington is 2-0 with a 0.82 goals-against average and a .968 save percentage in Game 7s, both of them in the 2019 playoffs, including in the Stanley Cup Final. Winnipeg’s Hellebuyck is 1-0, 1.00, .973, winning in the 2018 playoffs.
Arniel said No. 1 center Mark Scheifele won’t play in Game 7. He was injured in Game 5 on a Brayden Schenn hit and didn’t play in Game 6.
Jason Anderson: Blues 5, Jets 4. The Jets had the best defense in hockey this year, with Connor Hellebuyck in the hunt for the Vezina, which makes his struggles in this series all the more baffling. He’s been pulled from all three road games and has a .815 save percentage in this series. This pick is less about the Blues, and more about Winnipeg being unable to keep pucks out of the net.
Mike Brehm: Jets 4, Blues 3. I’m giving the Jets the edge because they’re at home, and they were able to bounce back and win Game 5 after losing back-to-back games in St. Louis. They won that game despite losing Mark Scheifele to an injury. He won’t play Sunday, but Winnipeg still will have plenty of offense.
Jace Evans: Blues 4, Jets 2. The Jets battled all year to get the top seed for this moment, but I just don’t trust Connor Hellebuyck right now. The likely Vezina Trophy winner has given up at least three goals in five of the series’ six games. Not to oversimplify the game … but Game 7’s outcome hinges entirely on which Hellebuyck shows up.
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