The Winnipeg Jets trailed the St. Louis Blues 3-1 late in the third period of Game 7. The Jets were the President’s Trophy winners this season, but the playoff demons appeared to return. Perhaps said demons were taunting the Jets when they called a timeout with 3:14 left. 314 is the area code for St. Louis. Was this the universe making a mockery of the Jets as they neared yet another failure in the playoffs?
Regardless of the universe’s intentions, the Jets had the final say. Two goals in the final two minutes combined with a goal by Adam Lowry in double-overtime have resulted in the “Miracle of Manitoba.” The Jets are moving on the second round where they will face the Dallas Stars.
Jets Win Game 7
NEVER IN DOUBT pic.twitter.com/NC8RQZTGKb
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) May 5, 2025
The comeback started on a goal by Vladislav Namestnikov with 1:55 left. Then, just when it seemed the game was over, a final shot by Kyler Connor was tipped in by Cole Perfetti to the tie the game with 1.6 seconds left.
Jordan Kyrou and Mathieu Joseph scored in the first period for the Blues. After Perfetti scored on the power play in the second period, the Blues responded in the final minute on a goal by Radek Faksa to restore the two-goal lead heading into the final period. The Blues were seeking their sixth-straight win in a Game 7, but the game ultimately slipped through their fingers.
Jordan Binnington made 43 saves for the Blues. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 26 shots for the Jets.
How the Jets Won
The Jets are advancing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2021. Despite injuries throughout the series to players like Gabriel Vilardi, Nikolaj Ehlers, Mark Scheifele, Logan Stanley, and Josh Morrisey, the Jets found a way to prevail.
Home-Ice Advantage
By winning the President’s Trophy, the Jets earned home-ice advantage. Playing in front of their home fans paid off. The Jets won all four games in Winnipeg, something they had to do consider they lost all three games in St. Louis.
Their home-ice success included strong third periods. In their home games, the Jets outscored the Blues 7-1 in the third period. In Games 1 and 7, the Jets won despite trailing entering the third period. Furthermore, their Game 7 comeback featured the only time in the series a team won after trailing by multiple goals.
The playoffs are a whole other season, but this series was a reminder that the regular season does matter. The Jets earned the home-ice advantage and it paid off when it mattered most.
Secondary Scoring Emerged
Through the first four games of the series, the Jets only had two main scorers. Connor and Scheifele had scored five of the team’s nine goals. The team was not getting secondary scoring.
Things changed in Game 5. Vladislav Namestnikov had a strong game playing on the top line for an injured Scheifele, scoring the game-winning goal. In Game 7, Perfetti, Namestnikov, and Lowry were the heroes for the Jets.
Hellebuyck….Good Enough
Hellebuyck was pulled from all three games in St. Louis. His playoff struggles were back and it seemed it may cost the Jets. In Game 7, Hellebuyck struggled early. However, he did settle in and made some big saves for the Jets.
In overtime, Hellebuyck made saves on Jordan Kyrou and Colton Parayko from close range. He also was quick to cover the puck and avoid rebounds. He was not perfect by any means. The Jets cannot win consistently unless Hellebuyck improves considerably. However, he made the saves when it mattered to extend the Jets season.
How the Blues Lost
The Blues entered the season with little expectations. However, a series of smart decisions by Doug Armstrong and Alexander Steen helped the Blues reach the playoffs for the first time since 2022. The Blues should be proud of their season. Losing a 3-1 lead with two minutes will sting all summer, but at the end of the day, the retool was sped up in St. Louis. Brighter days are ahead for the Blue Note.
With that being said, there is a reason the Blues season is ending after round one.
Third-Period Failures
The Blues took a 3-2 lead into the third period of Game 1 before losing. They went into the third period of Game 2 tied but could not win. Lastly, the Blues took a 3-1 lead into the third period in Game 7 and lost again.
What went wrong in the third period? Quite a few things. The Blues failed to generate scoring chances to extend their lead. They allowed the Jets to dictate the play after controlling the game for 40 minutes. The Blues failed to finish the game. Now, they are heading home.
Inexperience
The Blues had quite a few veterans on the team. However, they did have some players with little to no playoff experience. Zachary Bolduc and Jake Neighbours showed signs of inexperience during the first playoff series by taking bad penalties. Jimmy Snuggerud, filling in for an injured Dylan Holloway, made some poor decisions on the ice, including putting a puck in his own net in Game 2 while trying to retrieve a loose puck.
The good news is, these players, as well as the entire team, have accumulated experience from this series. This will help the team down the road.
Special Teams Struggles
The Blues started the series with a strong power play and penalty kill. However, as the series progressed, the script flipped. In the first four games of the series, the Blues scored five power-play goals and only gave up two. In the final three games, the Blues did not score on the power play and gave up three.
The Blues struggled when the Jets had an extra skater. In Game 7, three of the four Jet goals came with the Jets having an extra skater, either via a power play or an empty net.
What’s Next for the Jets?
The Stars, fresh off a Game 7 comeback of their own, will face the Jets in round two. The Stars will look to advance to their third-straight Western Conference Final. The Jets, meanwhile, will look to reach the Western Conference Final for the first time since 2018.
Main Photo: James Carey Lauder- Imagn Images
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