Jets complete comeback to win in double overtime
Posted May 4, 2025 4:08 pm.
The Winnipeg Jets are moving on in the Stanley Cup playoffs and will face the Dallas Stars thanks to Adam Lowry, Cole Perfetti and Vladislav Namestnikov.
Down 3-1 with two minutes to go, the Winnipeg Jets did the impossible, netting two goals to force overtime and then finished the job in double-overtime for a 4-3 win over the St. Louis Blues in Game 7 of their electric first-round series.
Jets captain Adam Lowry completed the miraculous comeback, scoring the game-winning goal in double-overtime to set up a date with the Dallas Stars in Round 2.
#GoJetsGo Adam Lowry (96:08) scores the 3rd latest Game 7 goal in history pic.twitter.com/LtC8ZBIRGk
— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) May 5, 2025
All hope felt lost for the Jets only 40 minutes earlier, as they looked like they were on the way to becoming the latest team hit by the Presidents’ Trophy curse.
The Blues had figured out goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and the offence just couldn’t find a rhythm.
But nothing is out of the question in Game 7. The Jets opted to pull Hellebuyck with three minutes to go down 3-1 and reaped the rewards.
THE WINNIPEG JETS ARE WITHIN ONE! ????
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 5, 2025
????: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/Z2zZ7C4kho
Vladislav Namestnikov started the comeback, firing a shot through traffic that took a couple deflections and found its way past Jordan Binnington.
Then, after a messy final O-Zone possession, Cole Perfetti played hero with a stunning tipped goal with only 1.6 seconds remaining in regulation — the latest game-tying goal in Game 7 history.
WITH 1.6 SECONDS TO GO. ????
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 5, 2025
COLE PERFETTIpic.twitter.com/kgZU95vurH
The St. Louis Blues made the Jets look silly in the opening moments of Game 7. Pavel Buchnevich managed to get Connor Hellebuyck out of position and left the puck to Jordan Kyrou, who easily slid it in to the net to open the scoring 1:10 into the first.
Mathieu Joseph would add to the Blues’ lead in the first, scoring his first goal of the playoffs after he picked up a loose puck at his own blue line and blew by the Jets before beating Hellebuyck 7:16 into the period. The goal would come off the Blues’ fourth shot of the first.
Around the time the Blues doubled their lead, Jets’ Josh Morrissey was seen heading back to the locker room, making the third player the Jets are forced to be without, after Mark Scheifele was confirmed that he wasn’t going to be starting, and Logan Stanley was not seen during warmups. Stanley, however, was replaced by Haydn Fluery.
The Blues would take a 2-0 lead into the first intermission, outshooting the Jets 7-3.
Cole Perfetti would finally get the Jets on the board, scoring on the game’s first power play midway through the second. Assists on the Jets’ opening goal came from Neal Pionk and Kyle Connor.
GOAL PERFETTI HAS ARRIVED IN GAME 7!
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 5, 2025
????: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/BHSc7G9SBy
Radek Faksa would give the Blues a two-goal lead once again, beating Hellebuyck over his glove with 35 seconds remaining on the second.
The Blues would take a 3-1 lead into the second intermission. The Jets would outshoot the Blues 11-9 in the second.
The Jets would outshoot the Blues 15-4 in the third, bringing the shot total to 28-20 in favour of Winnipeg.
Jets fans could be seen standing throughout the overtime, supporting their team after Winnipeg rallied to keep the game going.
#GoJetsGo Neal Pionk is the first player to log over 40 minutes in a Game 7 since Chris Pronger & Al MacInnis for the Blues in 1999 vs the Coyotes
— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) May 5, 2025
Hellebuyck stepped up big in overtime after allowing the three goals, shutting the door in the third period and overtime and finishing the game with 26 saves on 29 shots to keep the Jets’ playoff hopes alive.
Heading into Game 7
Heading into Game 7, both teams have won every game they’ve hosted. The Jets took Game 1 by a 5-3 margin, before taking a 2-0 series lead, winning Game 2 2-1.
The series then headed to St. Louis, where the Blues chased Hellebuyck from the crease in Game 3, ultimately taking the game 7-2. In Game 4, Hellebuyck was chased again, and the Blues would go on to even the series, winning 5-1.
In Game 5, the Jets managed to retake the series lead with a 5-3 victory, before St. Louis would once again force the Vezina finalist, Hellebuyck, to be pulled, and a 5-2 victory for the Blues would even the series at 3.
“We’re playing at home — the energy is going to be crazy, it’s going to be loud,” said Brandon Tanev, Jets forward. “But at the end of the day, you just go out and focus on your game, what you can bring to the team. We go out there shift by shift, and we’re excited to be in this moment.”
Handling adversity will be key, especially with the momentum swings typical of a Game 7.
“Obviously when they score a couple goals and get a flow going in the game — which is going to happen — there are a lot of ups and downs, and pushback between both teams,” said Kyle Connor, Jets forward. “We’ve got to be able to handle that, adjust, and not let it sag or take us away from our game plan.”
The Jets will be without one of their biggest offensive weapons. Star centre Mark Scheifele was downgraded from a game-time decision to inactive earlier Sunday, dealing a significant blow to Winnipeg’s lineup.
“It’s next man up,” said Scott Arniel, Jets head coach. “We’ve done it all year long. That’s just part of our group. The guys know they have to step up. The next guy has to step up — whether that’s more ice time, take advantage of it, do what you can.”
Despite the loss of Scheifele, the Jets remain confident, especially with the passionate support expected from their fans both inside and outside the arena.
“To have it here with this fanbase, and the type of support they have for us, we’ve got no question what they’re going to bring to the table tonight,” said Connor. “It’s going to be wild. It’s going to be an awesome atmosphere. You’ve got to enjoy games like this, look back on it, and hopefully we get the dub.”
-With files from Eddie Huband
