Returning to the reservoir of resolve Arniel confident Jets up for the challenge to force a Game 6 By: Ken Wiebe Posted: 4:35 PM CDT Wednesday, May. 14, 2025

It’s not a simple case of recency bias to suggest the Winnipeg Jets should be ready to return to the reservoir of resolve that will be required to maintain belief.

This edition of the Jets is just 10 days removed from a dramatic rally in Game 7 against the St. Louis Blues when they faced elimination for the first time in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs.

They’ve also shown over the course of the season that they’ve been able to answer the bell in big games.

Given the 3-1 hole the Jets currently find themselves in, it would be wise for the Jets to not be down by a pair of goals with fewer than two minutes to go in regulation before snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.

That’s not asking for too much, especially against a Dallas Stars team that is 1-0 when both facing extinction and having an opportunity to eliminate an opponent, thanks to a wild Game 7 rally of their own against the Colorado Avalanche in the opening round.

After returning home to Winnipeg in the wee hours of the morning, Jets head coach Scott Arniel stood at the podium inside Matt Frost media centre on Wednesday afternoon and expressed confidence that his group would be up for the challenge of trying to force a Game 6 against these battle-tested Stars.

“We’ve got to take care of business here if we want this extended series,” Arniel said matter-of-factly. “Now, our backs are against the wall and we’ve got to win our next game

“That’s all part of this time of the year. Now we have to step up and be at our best and learn from the lessons that we’ve had recently.”

The learning really stops at this time of year and the Jets have plenty of things to lean into going into Game 5 that give them reasons to believe they can do enough to keep the season alive.

Despite being limited to three goals during the previous two games, the scoring chances have been there for the Jets.

In all situations on Tuesday, the folks at Natural Stat Trick had the Jets at 3.35 expected goals, compared to 2.32 for the Stars.

That is a positive sign on the process side of things, but doesn’t change the fact that the Jets need to find a way to solve Stars goalie Jake Oettinger, who has allowed just eight goals on 130 shots on net through four games of this series.

“Now we have to step up and be at our best and learn from the lessons that we’ve had recently.”–Jets head coach Scott Arniel

After getting blanked in Game 2, Stars head coach Pete DeBoer made it clear he would need offensive contributions from folks not named Mikko Rantanen.

Since that time, the Stars had several key cogs check into the series — led by Mikael Granlund, whose hat trick in Game 4 came after he notched a pair of assists in Game 3.

Roope Hintz is back to being more heavily involved at both ends, drawing the important double minor for high-sticking that led to Granlund’s third goal, to go along with his goal and assist in Game 3.

In total, 10 members of the Stars notched their first point of the series during the past two games.

To be clear, nobody is questioning the Jets’ effort here.

They’re created enough opportunities and their structure has mostly been sound, with the exception of allowing three goals in the third period of Game 3 — some of which had to do with how they responded to the Alex Petrovic goal being allowed to count after a lengthy delay.

By averaging only two goals per game in this series so far, the Jets are putting an awful lot of pressure on that structure, even if that is a foundational pillar to the success the team has enjoyed this season.

The Jets have numerous players looking for their first points in this series and they include Game 7 hero Cole Perfetti and Vladislav Namestnikov, who has been limited to one shot on goal since scoring the first of two six-on-five markers required to send his team to OT in the deciding game against the Blues.

Mason Appleton has chipped in seven helpers in 11 games and sits third in team scoring, so he’s doing his part to produce offensively. But he hasn’t found the back of the net since March 30 — which is a span of 18 games.

Alex Iafallo, promoted to the top line in Game 4, has one goal (and point) and that came in Game 1 against the Blues — which means he’s gone 10 games without getting another one.

Brandon Tanev is providing energy, physical play and tenacity, but he’s another double-digit goal scorer this season and he’s looking for his first point of the playoffs and hasn’t scored in 22 games.

This isn’t to suggest that the aforementioned players are going to be asked to provide all of the offence.

But for all of the praise the Jets’ depth has received — and rightfully so, with 13 players reaching double digits in goals and 14 players finishing the regular season with 20 or more points — more is required when the stakes are as high as they are right now.

Top-line winger Gabe Vilardi is getting closer every day to looking like himself as he continues to work his way back from an upper-body injury he suffered on March 23.

But he had one goal in his final 14 games of the regular season (though he did add seven assists) and has one power-play marker (and two assists) through six games since his return.

“I feel like I still haven’t found my game yet,” Vilardi said earlier in the series. “I haven’t been as effective as I want to be and as I’ve proven I can be in the past. Hopefully I find it sooner than later.”

Points aren’t the only measure of contributions, but with goals at a premium, additional offence from any source would be beneficial for the Jets — just like it’s been for the Stars during these past two games.

Nino Niederreiter has four goals in his past seven games and is leading the secondary scoring charge along with captain Adam Lowry.

That leaves them behind only Kyle Connor (five) for the team lead in playoff goals.

Mark Scheifele has three goals and eight points in nine games and is operating at just under a point-per-game pace, but he hasn’t notched a road playoff goal since Game 4 of the 2019 opening-round series against the Blues.

That’s a long time for an elite player and Scheifele will need to be at his best in Game 5 on home ice.

Speaking of statistical oddities, Connor had nine power-play goals this season but hasn’t had one since Dec. 23 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

That’s a span of 56 games, which seems crazy when you think of how dangerous a threat he is on the man advantage, given the precision of his shot and quick release.

It’s clear that opponents are trying to take away Connor as the primary threat, which means the four other players on the ice need to either pick up the slack — or find ways to get the prolific scorer the puck in more dangerous areas.

Snapping that lengthy dry spell would go a long way to turning the tables for a power play that has gone one-for-16 through four games.

“Everybody knows that (the opponent) is going to look at KC and try to not allow him to have that shot, much like we’re trying to do with certain players on Dallas,” said Arniel. “He hasn’t gotten one in a while and he knows it. But at the end of the day, it hasn’t changed how he goes out.

“For me, with our power play, when we’re attacking and in attack mode, and when we’re pounding pucks and getting them there, that’s when we’re more dangerous and that’s what it has to be.”

The power play is an area that needs to be better and the same goes for a penalty kill that has already given up four goals in 10 opportunities.

Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck also has another level he can reach, though Arniel was quick to jump to the defence of his puck stopper on Wednesday afternoon.

“This is a team game. I’m not putting this all on Helly’s shoulders,” said Arniel. “No chance. No chance. You know what, can he be better? He’d be the first to admit he can.

“Can we be better as a group in front of him? For sure. Can we score more goals for him, get leads earlier? All those things. Do those things, and then everything will work itself out.”

The template for making that happen is one the Jets are familiar with.

Now, it’s about finding a way to execute at a high level to try and keep the season alive.

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

X and Bluesky: @WiebesWorld