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Recap: Winnipeg Jets vs. Dallas Stars

The Winnipeg Jets beat the Dallas Stars in the most bizarre fashion thanks to some weird rules and Dallas being a good team. There will be no ten thoughts because I struggle with breaking things down to thoughts.

The Jets played a good game. That is absolutely 100% true. It is also true that the Jets are going to want to figure out what they are doing wrong when the other team has their goalie pulled because they have given up five goals in the past three games when down six on five. There are unusual circumstances about the Jets last goal that they gave up six on five that needs to be discussed, but that is for later.

The Jets showed that they could take the play to the Stars all night. They did not back down, showed they could handle the Stars at even strength and on the powerplay. The Jets win is full value for those reasons. That said, the Stars did show them that they will be stiff competition even though the two teams are done playing each other for the season.

Part of that reason is because the Stars had one goal called back and another controversial goal stand. The goal that was called back was called back because the puck went into the netting before coming back onto the ice. The officials missed the puck hitting the netting, but the Jets were able to challenge the call and get the goal called back. Biggest issue with this play was the fact everyone on the Jets stopped playing instead of playing until the whistle.

The most controversial play of the game was the Stars tying goal and while it was called correctly (play does not stop if the goalies helmet comes off and his team has the puck, the play must be stopped. This is inherently a bad rule. Goalies are most vulnerable when the other team has the puck in their end. The safest option would be that whenever the goalies helmet comes off, the play is killed. However, goalies like Mike Smith are known for their helmets coming off easily. Then you have a goalie like Matt Murray who might help the net off the moorings to get play stopped. There needs to be a solution that is both putting safety at the forefront and not allowing goalies to stop play by shaking their helmet off. Hellebuyck lost his helmet in a legitimate play and it should have been stopped for his safety. However, the referees called the play by the book even if the book is not putting safety first.

The Jets managed to win the game on an overtime goal from Josh Morrissey on a breakaway just like everyone expected. The Jets did play well enough to win and they won the season series against the Stars to boot.

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