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The Winnipeg Jets will live to see another day.
Nikolaj Ehlers scored twice, while Mark Scheifele and Vlad Namestnikov also found the back of the net for Winnipeg. Connor Hellebuyck turned aside all 22 of the Stars' shots, picking up his second shutout of the series as the Jets beat the visiting Dallas Stars 4-0 in Game 5 from Canada Life Centre on Thursday night.
"We had everyone," Hellebuyck said of his team's efforts. "Everyone was doing the same things. They're gonna have a big push back next game. So we gotta make sure our details are right, and we bring it. Our backs are against the wall and play Jet hockey."
Once again, Winnipeg controlled the play in the opening frame, but left the ice with nothing to show for its efforts. The home team couldn't beat Jake Oettinger on any of its 11 shots, which were eight more than Dallas put up in the period.
It took until six minutes had passed in the middle stanza for Scheifele to collect his fourth of the playoffs.
Scheifele got the first goal, but it took until six minutes had passed in the second period.
With Vlad Namestnikov and Matt Duchene in the penalty box, Winnipeg capitalized on the extra ice, scoring on a rush up-ice. Neal Pionk got the puck to Kyle Connor, who found Scheifele breaking up the wing. His centring pass deflected off Wyatt Johnston before banking off Thomas Harley and into the net.
Winnipeg continued its offensive clinic, putting up another 11 shots in the second - to Dallas' five - but was prevented from finding the twine as the time ran down in the period. A Scheifele power play goal was called no-goal on the ice after it was determined he batted the puck into the net with his glove.
In true Winnipeg fashion, the fans gathered at Canada Life Centre immediately bust out a 'Should have kicked it!' chant, taking aim at a play that was called a good goal in Dallas after Alex Petrovic kicked the puck into the net.
Winnipeg maintained a 22-9 shot lead and a slim 1-0 advantage on the scoreboard after 40 minutes.
With Petrovic already in the box for Dallas, Esa Lindell took a tripping minor early in the third period, giving Winnipeg an extended five-on-three.
It didn't take long.
Ehlers walked out from the corner and buried the disc past Oettinger, doubling the Jets' lead at 2-0 with just under a period to play.
Then, with Lian Bichsel in the box for roughing, Alex Iafallo found Namestnikov all alone in the slot. He went bar-down, providing the Jets with some much needed insurance.
“It was huge to see the power play get a couple goals to get some confidence," Lowry said post-game. "But that power play in the second when they had a lot of chances and didn’t connect, but they built on the momentum and energy in the building. Even them just coming back to the bench with the confidence that they were moving pucks, they were creating. Then looking to third, them getting one to kind of ice the game, that was huge."
Jamie Benn provided some extra curriculars to the unsuspecting face of Mark Scheifele and was shown the gate. But Winnipeg managed to hang on, not allowing a goal with Oettinger on the bench for the extra attacker.
As a matter of fact, Ehlers actually got one back for the Jets, winning a race to a loose puck and blasting it into the empty net, sealing the deal.
"I think we've been building our game all season long," Hellebuyck said. "It's unfortunate that we got into this position. But you know what? I believe in this group, I believe myself and I believe in, all our of our fans, so we're going to continue to compete and leave it all out there, and that's all we can ask for."
Hellebuyck made all 22 stops on the Stars, while Oettinger turned aside 31 of the 34 shots he faced from Winnipeg.
Game 6 will be played in Dallas on Saturday.
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