It took nearly five full periods of playoff chaos, but Adam Lowry’s double-overtime winner in Game 7 lifted the Winnipeg Jets past the St. Louis Blues and into the second round for the first time since 2021. Canada Life Centre erupted, the nerves turned to noise, and the Jets? They’re still dancing.

Now comes the next challenge: the Dallas Stars — a team that just finished burying the Colorado Avalanche in their own seven-game slugfest. Buckle up. This one’s going to be fast, heavy, and probably full of bad blood by Game 2.

Dallas earned their spot with a 4-2 Game 7 win at American Airlines Center on Saturday. Winnipeg followed with a 4-3 double-overtime thriller of their own on Sunday.

Leaders

Winnipeg Jets:

Kyle Connor led the charge in Round 1 with 12 points (4G, 8A), making key contributions in critical moments. Neal Pionk (1G, 4A) and Cole Perfetti (3G, 2A) each chipped in with five points. Mark Scheifele tallied six points (2G, 4A) in five games before missing the final two due to an undisclosed injury.

Dallas Stars:

Mikko Rantanen was electric with 12 points (5G, 7A), including a Game 7 hat trick that powered Dallas past the Avalanche. Roope Hintz (4G, 3A) and Wyatt Johnston (3G, 4A) each posted seven points, while veterans Tyler Seguin and Thomas Harley added two goals apiece.

Goaltending duel

Connor Hellebuyck had a turbulent first round, finishing with a 4-3-0 record, an .830 save percentage, and a 3.85 goals-against average. He’ll need to bounce back to give Winnipeg a real shot in this series.

Jake Oettinger looked more solid for Dallas, going 4-3-0 with a .910 save percentage and a 2.85 GAA. As always, goaltending will be a major storyline, and both teams are counting on their No. 1 to swing momentum when needed.

Regular season series

The Jets went 3-1-0 against the Stars this season, outscoring them 13-5 in four meetings. Connor Hellebuyck was lights out in those games, posting a sparkling 1.01 GAA and .965 save percentage, including a shutout. Jake Oettinger, meanwhile, struggled against Winnipeg’s attack.

Kyle Connor led the way with five points (4G, 1A), while Mark Scheifele recorded five assists in the series for Winnipeg.

Playoff history

This marks the first-ever playoff series between the Winnipeg Jets and Dallas Stars, setting the stage for a new playoff rivalry in the making.

What to watch

Can Hellebuyck return to form? Can Connor Hellebuyck find his game in Round 2? His regular season numbers vs Dallas were elite — a 1.01 GAA and .965 SV%. We saw flashes of that form in Game 2 and Game 7 vs St. Louis, but the question is: Can he carry that over and be the difference-maker Winnipeg needs him to be.
Scheifele’s status. Will Mark Scheifele return for Game 1? His presence in the lineup is crucial for Winnipeg’s offensive dynamic, especially his strong chemistry with Kyle Connor.
Depth vs depth. This series won’t be won on just top lines. Players like Perfetti, Vlad Namestnikov, Nino Niederreiter, and Morgan Barron will need to contribute. Dallas has a deep forward group too, with guys like Jamie Benn, Seguin, and Matt Duchene in supporting roles.

Prediction: Jets in 7

This one’s going the distance. Both teams just battled through emotional seven-game series, and they’re deep enough to grind out another one. If Hellebuyck can flip the switch and return to his Vezina-caliber form — especially against a team he dominated in the regular season — the Jets have a real shot to knock off the Stars and punch their ticket to the Western Conference Final.

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