FROM THE PRESS BOX
MIKE SAYS: How intense has this series been?
Consider the following: There have been 493 combined hits recorded through the first six games of this series, which comes to an average of 82 per game. That is an enormous number. There have also been 326 combined penalty minutes, an average of 54 per game, which speaks to how nasty things have gotten at times.
No, this series hasn’t been for the faint of heart.
So, what to expect in game 7? I watched Colorado versus Dallas last night and was struck by how cautious both teams were playing, especially through the first couple of periods. As one of the announcers said, it’s as if every player on the ice was simply trying not to make a mistake.
Is that what Jets versus Blues could look like?
“That’s playoff hockey. It is a chess match. You’re trying to wait to expose that one move that creates that scoring chance or that situation where you get an opportunity,” Arniel said when I asked him about it.
“I was watching (that Game 7) as well. You’re just playing your game. Obviously, you’re not trying to open it up to go score a goal because you want to get the lead. You’ve got to do it with how you’ve done it all year long and that’s pretty much what you saw with Dallas and Colorado last night.”
I often feel like I have a pretty good read on what to expect from the Jets, based on covering them daily. But I’m truly perplexed at how this might play out. The Blues may be a wildcard team, but they are a dangerous and very confident bunch. And try as they might to convince us the past has nothing to do with the present, I can’t help but feel the Jets are still being haunted by recent playoff failures.
In that sense, this really feels like a seminal moment for the organization. Regardless of how it turns out, it’s going to be quite the story.
Enjoy the evening, folks.
KEN SAYS: One game for all the marbles. It should make for a drama-filled Game 7 between two Central Division teams that have been battling incredibly hard.
By now, you’ve heard how the Blues are playing with house money, but that’s not how they view this situation. It’s an opportunity for them to advance to the second round for the first time since 2022, when they lost in six games to the eventual champion Colorado Avalanche. For the Jets, they haven’t been to the second round since 2021, when they were swept by the Montreal Canadiens. Yes, winning is hard in the NHL. It’s also the name of the game and that’s why this could be a franchise-altering moment for this edition of the Jets.
Everyone knows what is at stake, and that’s not to suggest the weight of expectations is going to be a burden here. The Jets are coming off finishing tied for fourth in the NHL last season and were the best team in the NHL during the regular season this year, so a third consecutive first-round ouster isn’t something they want to chew on over the course of the next 4-½ months before reporting to training camp in mid-September.
The pathway to winning Game 7 and avoiding that fate seems relatively straightforward to me. Playing without Scheifele, the Jets are going to need an outstanding effort from their big guns and their support players. They’ll need to be disciplined and they must stay committed to their structure, which is what they’ve done in the three previous home games.
This has the potential to be a legacy-building game for Connor Hellebuyck, who will surely be serenaded with M-V-P chants before the anthems are sung. It’s been said before, but Hellebuyck doesn’t need to be Superman, though he can’t be a mere mortal, either.
St. Louis Blues left wing Nathan Walker (26) and Winnipeg Jets center Cole Perfetti (91) look on as Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck gives up a goal during the second period in Game 6 in St. Louis. (Jeff Le / The Associated Press files)
Hellebuyck has allowed 23 goals in six games and been pulled three times, but most of that damage has been inflicted on the road. In the three home games, he’s allowed only seven goals at Canada Life Centre. Guess what: the numbers don’t mean anything right now. Hellebuyck needs to make the routine saves and mix in a few others. He needs to outplay Jordan Binnington.
Stanley Cup playoff history is loaded with unsung heroes. There could be one or several who step forward, but don’t be surprised if Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey provides a signature moment in this one. He’s a difference-maker who could end up having a major impact in this one.
Lastly, Connor has been a force in the home portion of this series, producing a pair of game-winning goals in Games 1 and 2 while setting up Vlad Namestnikov for the GWG in Game 5. What he does for an encore could be what decides the series. Could this be the night he breaks the lengthy drought between power play goals that has now reached 52 games?
Stay tuned. It should be a scintillating finish to what has been an outstanding series.
PROJECTED LINES
WINNIPEG JETS
FORWARDS:
- Connor-Namestnikov-Vilardi
- Ehlers-Lowry-Perfetti
- Niederreiter-Barron-Appleton
- Tanev-Toninato-Iafallo
DEFENCE:
- Morrissey-DeMelo
- Samberg-Pionk
- Fleury-Schenn
GOAL:
HEALTHY SCRATCHES: G Driedger, D Miller, D Heinola, C Kupari, C Gustafsson
INJURED: C Scheifele (upper body), D Stanley (undisclosed)
ST. LOUIS BLUES
FORWARDS:
- Buchnevich-Thomas-Kyrou
- Neighbours-Schenn-Snuggerud
- Joseph-Sundqvist-Bolduc
- Toropchenko-Faksa-Walker
DEFENCE:
- Fowler-Parayko
- Broberg-Faulk
- Leddy-Suter
GOAL:
HEALTHY SCRATCHES: D Kessel, F Texier
INJURED: D Krug (ankle), LW Holloway (lower body), Tucker (lower body)
NOTABLE QUOTABLE
Jets coach Scott Arniel on how to manage the emotions leading up to Game 7:
“I think that guys going through six games of this craziness… I mean, as loud as it is here, it’s loud there, and I imagine tonight it’s going to be just as crazy. Going through the experiences certainly helps but I’ve also talked to our guys that have been in Game 7s to spread their knowledge. Talk to the other guys, whether it was yesterday or even today if guys have feelings or thoughts whatever. So that was pretty much it. Then just get out and manage it. It really comes down to you’re out there, you’re shift to shift, just do what you do best. Bring the best version of yourself each and every shift.”
WHAT WE’RE WORKING ON
Mike and Ken will have double coverage out of this one, with each writing a post-game analysis. You can find them online at winnipegfreepress.com and in Monday’s print edition.
|
