Apr 21, 2025; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN;Winnipeg Jets middle Mark Scheifele (55) will get set to dam shot by St. Louis Blues defenseman Philip Broberg (6) within the second interval in recreation two of the primary spherical of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Canada Life Centre. Necessary Credit score: James Carey Lauder-Imagn Pictures The visiting Winnipeg Jets will take the ice with out one among their finest gamers after they attempt to shut out their Western Convention first-round sequence towards the St. Louis Blues with a victory in Recreation 6 on Friday night time.
Mark Scheifele was injured within the first interval of a 5-3 win by Winnipeg in Recreation 5 on Wednesday. He took a thunderous hit from Blues middle Brayden Schenn about six minutes into the sport, leading to an interference penalty on Schenn, adopted by matching roughing penalties on Schenn and Brandon Tanev of the Jets.
Scheifele completed out the primary interval however didn’t return for the second. He’s thought of day-to-day.
The highest-line middle was second on the Jets in targets (39) and factors (87) through the common season and has six factors (two targets, 4 assists) in 5 playoff video games.
Groups are particularly guarded with their damage data through the postseason, and Jets coach Scott Arniel was no exception. When requested Thursday if Scheifele was in concussion protocol, Arniel mentioned, “I am not taking place that highway.”
Vladislav Namestnikov took Scheifele’s place on the highest line in Recreation 5 and produced a aim and an help within the second interval.
“It is not one man that should fill the footwear of Mark. It must be everyone,” Jets ahead Kyle Connor mentioned. “Vladdy, he is been nice for the entire sequence, and a pair probabilities right here or there and he may have some higher outcomes. You see it (in Recreation 5). He drives laborious to the web, performs all laborious areas very properly, defends properly and, clearly, is a key contributor on two of these targets.”
The Blues are hoping a return to St. Louis will present the identical enhance it did for Video games 3 and 4.
St. Louis dropped two shut video games in Winnipeg to begin the sequence, then erupted for 7-2 and 5-1 wins again residence.
“They obtained the higher of us (in Recreation 5), however we have got Recreation 6 at residence and a job to do,” St. Louis defenseman Justin Faulk mentioned.
The Blues will undoubtedly try and put extra pucks on web. They’d simply 9 photographs on aim by the primary two intervals of Recreation 5, hurting their odds of getting one previous Connor Hellebuyck, the possible Vezina Trophy winner this season.
St. Louis coach Jim Montgomery mentioned the workforce additionally must play extra related, assist the puck higher, get again on protection faster and forecheck more durable.
“It is each aspect, however you understand what, it is a sequence. It is going to occur,” Montgomery mentioned. “Sadly, we’re not glad about it, however we’re onto the following one. It is so simple as that. We have to neglect about it. We’re in a sequence.”
The Jets hope to proceed defending properly, forechecking with intent and getting within the eye line of St. Louis goalie Jordan Binnington.
“Clearly, now we put ourselves within the driver’s seat to go to St. Louis,” Jets ahead Mason Appleton mentioned. “Hopefully, we shut this sequence out, however we all know how good they’re at residence and what now we have to do. That was our greatest recreation of the sequence (in Recreation 5), and we have got to duplicate that.”
–Discipline Degree Media
