The Winnipeg Jets will be hoping to copy their Canadian counterparts today after watching the Toronto Maple Leafs pick up a road win against the Florida Panthers to force a Game 7 in their series. The True Northers need to do the same thing tonight against the Dallas Stars if they hope to extend their playoffs, something made all the more difficult due to the fact that the Jets have yet to pick up a win on the road this post-season.
After what was likely Winnipeg’s best performance of the playoffs in Game 5, our club will be trying to carry over the momentum gained to get over that pesky road victory hurdle. While the Jets have struggled with some things this post-season, I think most of us fans would admit that our squad has performed a lot better than last year’s quick exit versus the Colorado Avalanche. And the stats would certainly agree with that, since the True Northers have the 4th best Expected Goals percentage rating in the playoffs (53.15%) and the only three franchises with better numbers have already booked or might book their tickets to the NHL’s Final Four (Carolina Hurricanes @ 59.44%, Florida Panthers @ 55.22%, & Edmonton Oilers @ 55.17%). So that tells me that if Winnipeg would have received more consistent goaltending and better shooting luck, us fans wouldn’t have to go through the nail-biting tension of an elimination game tonight.
Well, all that really doesn’t matter because the Jets are where they are in the NHL’s second season…in desperate need of two straight wins to move on. I really don’t expect head coach Scott Arniel to make any changes to the Jets’ lineup for Game 6, though the Stars may decide to end their 11 forward/7 defensemen set up after Miro Heiskanen has had 2 games to acclimate to playoff hockey. Here is how PuckPedia is currently predicting the teams will line up their players when the puck drops at 7 pm Central.
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The Winnipeg Jets have been a different team when playing at their home arena as compared to visiting other teams’ facilities in the post-season. In the friendly confines of the Canada Life Centre, the True Northers have scored 22 goals while only allowing 9 against (6 gms). On the road it has been a different story though, as the Jets have been out-scored 28 to 8 in 5 losses. That is a serious swing in performance when coach Arniel & his staff don’t have the benefit of the last change. Hopefully Winnipeg’s players can figure it out tonight, because I think the Jets have showed a higher level of resiliency this post-season when compared to past playoff failures.
Okay, time for us to take a look at the statistics in the Playoff Match Up graphic. Our club has made some marginal improvements to their shooting & save percentages, while also slightly bumping up their special teams’ numbers. Those are still areas of concern, but the remainder of the numbers are pretty good for our squad.
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The hopes of having 3 out of 4 Canadian franchises in the Conference Finals is still alive and well with the Maple Leafs staving off elimination in Florida last night. The Jets could greatly improve the chances of ending our country’s Stanley Cup drought with a couple more wins and that all starts with getting the job done tonight in Texas.
Time for the AIH members to have their say on how they think tonight’s clash will play out. Will Nikolaj Ehlers put on another great performance in the playoffs to increase his upcoming UFA value? Can Connor Hellebuyck chase away his road demons and put up the type of performance that we all expect from him during the regular season? Will the Winnipeg Jets get that all important opening goal tonight?
Feel free to share your thoughts, concerns, & hopes in the Comment section. Of course, predictions are also always welcome too.
Go Winnipeg!!!!!!!!!!
***10 exclamation marks for the 10 wins the Jets need to lift the Cup.**
