The Winnipeg Jets will be without their top-line centre Mark Scheifele in Game 6 of their first-round series against the St. Louis Blues. The veteran forward will not travel with the team to Missouri, head coach Scott Arniel confirmed on Thursday.

Scheifele left Game 5 after the first period and did not return. He was on the receiving end of two heavy hits — the first from Blues captain Brayden Schenn along the boards, which resulted in an interference penalty, and the second from Radek Faksa, who caught Scheifele with a massive open-ice collision later in the opening period.

The Jets went on to win Game 5 by a score of 5–3 at Canada Life Centre, taking a 3–2 series lead into St. Louis.

“He won’t be coming on the trip,” Arniel told reporters,

Scheifele, a native of Kitchener, Ontario, has six points in the series and is a major key piece of Winnipeg’s offence. With him out, veteran Vladislav Namestnikov was elevated to the top line and made an immediate impact, scoring late in the second period to give Winnipeg a two-goal lead heading into the final frame.

“I’m so proud of the group, how everybody stepped up,” said Arniel. “It’s what our team has done all year. Guys go down and other guys step in. It’s going to be just as large tomorrow.

“We did the job last night and now we’ve got to turn around and do it again.”

The Jets are already without forward Nikolaj Ehlers, who has missed the entire series with a foot injury. Ehlers has resumed skating and will travel with the team but won’t suit up tomorrow for Game 6.

Puck drop for Friday’s Game 6 is set for 7:00 p.m. CT on Sportsnet. Be sure to check out the pre-game report, live at 10:00 a.m. every Jets game day at Jetsnation.ca.