Season on the line in St. Louis Jets in St. Louis for Game 6 with season on line

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 19/04/2019 (2333 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Jets admitted at the tail end of the regular season to some meagre efforts against foes with far more on the line than themselves.

They tipped their caps to some desperate teams down the stretch. Well done, Dallas Stars, on a 5-2 triumph. Full marks, Montreal Canadiens, on that 3-1 victory. Way to go, Minnesota Wild, on the 5-1 win. Nice extra point, Colorado Avalanche, in that 3-2 overtime decision.

The Jets lamented the losses — but didn’t seem overly concerned they wouldn’t be able to flip a switch and create some of that desperation in their own game come crunch time.

Deep into Round 1 of the Stanley Cup playoffs, Winnipeg now has no other option. The Jets are in dire straits, just one defeat from expulsion from the NHL’s post-season run.

The team heads into tonight’s Game 6 of their best-of-seven series with St. Louis down 3-2 and facing elimination by the Blues. Start time at Enterprise Center is 6 p.m. (CBC, Sportsnet).

Winnipeg defenceman Jacob Trouba said there’s no sugar-coating the precarious predicament he and his teammates find themselves in.

“You know it’s an elimination game. You’re not going to lie to yourself or try to paint a picture that’s not what it is. You have to be honest with yourself and know your back is against the wall,” said Trouba on Friday morning. “We have to find a way to get this series back to Winnipeg.

“I don’t think it’s really nervousness. As a hockey player, these are the games you kind of dream of playing when you’re a kid. We’ve had a good year, where we’ve made it to this point. We want to enjoy playing in that game. I mean, those are the fun games to play in. Those are the games you want to play in.”

Trouba, forward Andrew Copp and head coach Paul Maurice were made available to the media at Bell MTS Iceplex the morning after yet another third-period collapse this season. None, however, was as costly as Thursday’s unravelling.

Down 2-0 after the second intermission, the Blues fired three unanswered goals, including a pair late in the game, to shock the Jets and the Whiteout faithful with a 3-2 victory at Bell MTS Place. Jaden Schwartz scored his first goal of the series with just 15 seconds left to snap the tie.

Winnipeg has failed to register a win in three opportunities on home ice and must now steal another one in the Missouri city.

“That’s the playoffs. Every team gets down to these situations. All the teams that have gone far in the playoffs have won big games with their back against the wall, so it’s a challenge that every team faces,” said Trouba. “And if you’re going to go far, these are the games you’re going to play.

“We played in them last year (against Nashville). These are the games your big players will show up and play big games.”

He was on the ice when Tyler Bozak sent a shin-high pass to the slot that Schwartz batted in behind goalie Connor Hellebuyck, sucking the air out of the downtown rink and the street party outside.

Trouba tried to freeze the puck behind his own net but it was freed up by Alex Steen and, ultimately, the Blues made the Jets pay for some panicked decisions and shoddy coverage.

“Just a battle down low, behind the net, puck squirted out to the half wall, they kind of threw it at the net, I don’t even know if it was on the ice. It hit off his stick or he hit it in out of the air. We’re not dwelling on it. It’s yesterday, we have to worry about tomorrow,” said Trouba.

It’s become all too familiar watching this club blow leads in the final frame. During the regular season, they coughed up nine third-period leads and have done it twice in the playoff battle with St. Louis.

Copp said there was definitely an uneasy feeling as the Blues gained life.

“I think they had the momentum. They had some offensive-zone time and some chances. I think we got a little tentative, just for a quick sec there, but that’s all teams need, right? That little shimmer of hope,” said Copp, who helped orchestrate centre Adam Lowry’s game-opening goal just 12 seconds in. It was his fourth assist of the series.

“That’s something that we’ve struggled with, getting that killer instinct. But it’s a game of inches. (Kevin Hayes), as he’s falling to the ground, his stick kind of knocks one out and it could have been 3-0. It’s a game of inches, like I said. You got to have that attacking mindset, no matter what.”

The Jets held a short, optional skate at the Iceplex. Forwards Hayes, Kyle Connor, Mathieu Perreault and Jack Roslovic and defenceman Dmitry Kulikov were the only regulars who participated, before the team flew to St. Louis.

Nikolaj Ehlers, who was left writhing in pain after blocking a shot late in Game 5, is considered probable for the must-win situation, Maurice said.

The Jets could use not only a healthy Ehlers but a productive one. He has no goals and no points in five games, despite firing 16 pucks at St. Louis goalie Jordan Binnington — though the majority have been harmless, generated from well out. In 20 career playoff games, Ehlers has yet to find the back of the net.

Winnipeg has already faced some adversity in the series, losing two straight at home before cranking out a pair of hard-earned victories on the road.

Copp said playing fearlessly at this stage of the fight is the only option.

“I guess we can draw a little confidence that we’ve been able to do it before. We know the recipe. We know the way we have to play and how they’re going to try and control our speed,” said Copp.

“It’s not really rocket science. Like I said, we know the recipe and it will be up to us to play as close to a ‘T’ as possible.”

jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPJasonBell