Jets’ Unbelievable Game 7 Comeback: Key Moments and Takeaways

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In a remarkable two-day period, the Western Conference experienced two thrilling Game 7 conclusions. On Sunday, the Winnipeg Jets and St. Louis Blues delivered a performance that either matched or exceeded the previous day’s game between the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche, where the Stars netted four goals in the third period to achieve a 4-2 comeback victory and secure the series.

The Blues held a 3-1 advantage with under two minutes remaining in regulation when the Jets opted to remove goaltender Connor Hellebuyck for an additional attacker, resulting in two goals that sent the game into overtime. Ultimately, Adam Lowry concluded the third-longest Game 7 in NHL history by scoring at 16:10 of the second overtime, granting the Jets an unexpected 4-3 triumph.

The match proceeded to overtime due to the most recent game-tying goal recorded in NHL history during a Game 7.

With only three seconds left in regulation, Nikolaj Ehlers, positioned at the point, executed a cross-ice pass to Kyle Connor. Connor then directed the puck towards the net, where Cole Perfetti skillfully redirected it into the goal with just 2.2 seconds remaining. This goal surpassed the previous record set by Matt Cooke of the Vancouver Canucks in 2004.

Prior to Perfetti’s equalizer, Vladislav Namestnikov had scored, with the puck deflecting off Blues captain Brayden Schenn, bringing the score to 3-2 with 1:56 left on the clock.

Throughout the series, the home team had triumphed in each of the initial six games, and while the Jets managed to maintain this trend, they required late-game heroics and an unforgettable overtime period to do so.

Heading into the game on Sunday, the pressure was palpable for Winnipeg, particularly for goalie Connor Hellebuyck. Having been pulled in three of his six starts during the series, all of which took place in St. Louis, Hellebuyck faced a challenging start as he conceded a goal on the first shot he encountered, albeit due to a broken play, followed by another soft goal that put the Jets down 2-0.

Nevertheless, Hellebuyck recovered admirably, making 26 saves to secure the victory. The Jets were already without forward Mark Scheifele and subsequently lost defenseman Josh Morrissey to injury in the first period.

Down two of their top players, they had a couple of key turnovers by Connor and Ehlers that led to goals by the Blues’ Mathieu Joseph and Radek Faksa. Ehlers’ led to Faksa’s goal with 35 seconds left in the second period, giving the Blues a 3-1 cushion that looked safe until the end of the third period.

Perfetti leads last-second comeback

Faksa’s goal to put the Blues ahead 3-1 at the end of the second period should have been the dagger.

The Jets had played an excellent second period, showing tremendous resolve despite Morrissey’s injury. Ehlers flew up the left wing and blasted a slap shot wide. Namestnikov had two Grade-A scoring chances in the center slot but missed both. Gabriel Vilardi missed the net by inches.

Then Cole Perfetti, who the Jets didn’t dress in four of five playoff games last season, made a power-play deflection that gave the Jets new life. Faksa’s goal should have ended that hope-just as Ehlers’ tripping penalty should have done right after it.

But the Jets kept pushing, scoring two goals with Hellebuyck pulled-including the latest tying goal in Game 7 history. First, Namestnikov’s lucky bounce off Ryan Suter found its way past Jordan Binnington. Then Perfetti was all over again, driving to the slot and redirecting Connor’s pass into the middle past Binnington with just three seconds left on the clock.

It was a miraculous end to the third period of Game 7 following the best season in Jets history.

Extra-attacker goals killed the Blues this season

The Blues’ season was adversely affected by goals scored by extra attackers. The team held a two-goal advantage in the closing moments of regulation; however, the situation became precarious when the Jets removed Hellebuyck from the net, raising concerns among St. Louis supporters.

Throughout the regular season, the club conceded 13 goals while facing six-on-five situations, the highest number in the NHL. Although the initial goal, a shot from Namestnikov, deflected off Brayden Schenn and eluded Binnington, it was largely a matter of misfortune. Given the trajectory of the Blues’ season, the occurrence of another six-on-five goal appeared inevitable, and indeed, it transpired.

Winnipeg’s First-Period Collapse Deepens

The Jets’ struggles persisted in the opening period of Game 7. Despite labeling their issues in Game 6 as ‘self-inflicted,’ they were once again dismantled at the start of this match. Poor transition defense directly contributed to the Blues’ initial two goals, compounded by errors from key Jets players and two critical saves required from Hellebuyck.

Jordan Kyrou netted a goal for the Blues just 1:10 into the game after skillfully maneuvering through the Jets in the neutral zone, followed by Joseph extending St. Louis’ advantage 6:06 later.

For a brief moment, it appeared that Hellebuyck was on track to endure another challenging game, receiving little support from his defense. To exacerbate the situation, Morrissey sustained an injury during the play leading to Joseph’s goal.

Sundqvist’s Hit Sidelines Morrissey

The Blues delivered a relentless physical assault on Morrissey throughout the series, registering 86 hits specifically on Winnipeg’s top-four defensemen. Five minutes into Game 7, Oskar Sundqvist inflicted Morrissey’s final hit of the series.

Morrissey subsequently went to the Jets bench for medical attention but returned to the ice for his next shift, where he managed to hit Joseph. This action seemed to exacerbate Morrissey’s condition, yet Connor’s turnover in open ice compelled him to attempt to defend against Joseph’s subsequent rush.

Kyrou’s Promotion Yields Positive Results

Elevating Kyrou proves beneficial. In the initial six games of this series, Kyrou was positioned on the Blues’ second line alongside Brayden Schenn and Jake Neighbours. However, during Thursday’s practice, Montgomery promoted Kyrou to the first line with Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich, while relegating Jimmy Snuggerud to the second line.

Montgomery remarked, ‘I am merely experimenting with a different configuration. I am not entirely committed to this change, but since they have not practiced together in this arrangement, I wanted to establish some familiarity in case I decide to implement it during games.’ This adjustment appeared to be a reaction to Kyrou’s limited output in the series, where he had only accumulated two points, both of which were power-play goals. Kyrou netted the Blues’ opening goal just 1:10 into Game 7.

During his first shift on the top line, he delivered a pass to Parayko, who opted against taking an open shot and returned the puck to Kyrou. The puck deflected off his skate, and with Hellebuyck significantly out of position, Kyrou nudged it over the goal line, securing a 1-0 advantage.

Blues’ Fourth Line Delivers Key Offense

During the second period, the Blues allowed a power-play goal by Perfetti, which enabled the Jets to build some momentum, narrowing the gap to just one goal. However, with only 35 seconds remaining in the period, the Blues responded with another goal from their team’s core – the fourth line.

Faksa scored, assisted by Nathan Walker, extending the Blues’ lead to 3-1 as they entered the third period. This marked the sixth goal in the series from the Blues’ fourth line, consisting of Walker (3), Toropchenko (2), and Faksa (1), who collectively scored 17 goals during the regular season.

The Jets’ Brilliant Season Shows No Signs of Slowing

The Winnipeg Jets blazed through the regular season, setting an NHL record with a phenomenal 14-1-0 start in their first 15 games. They continued their dominance, amassing a franchise-best 116 points and capturing the Presidents’ Trophy. Individual accolades may also be on the horizon, with Connor Hellebuyck and coach Scott Arniel in contention for end-of-season awards.

Adding to their achievements, the Jets secured their second consecutive William Jennings Trophy, showcasing an improved defense that conceded fewer goals while the team also found the back of the net more often. Their league-leading power play, ignited by Vilardi’s return, complemented career-best point totals for several key players, including Vilardi, Connor, Scheifele, and Perfetti.

Throughout the season, the Jets emphasized growth, resilience, and a newfound ability to respond strongly in crucial moments – perhaps the very qualities that fueled their remarkable comeback.

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