Winnipeg Jets Face Elimination Against Dallas Stars in Game 5

WINNIPEG — The Winnipeg Jets are up against the wall as they prepare to face the Dallas Stars in Game 5 of their Western Conference Second Round series on Thursday night. The Jets trail the series 3-1 and are looking for a victory to stave off elimination.

Having performed well at home this postseason with a record of 5-1, the Jets are hoping that the Canada Life Centre crowd can propel them forward. Their only loss at home came in Game 1 against the Stars.

Jets coach Scott Arniel is drawing on the team’s recent experiences to motivate his players. “Now our backs are against the wall and we’ve got to win our next game,” Arniel said. “This is all part of this time of the year. We went through it in St. Louis, learning lessons and adapting.”

Winnipeg’s route to this point has not been easy; they came back from a 3-1 deficit in Game 7 of the first round against the St. Louis Blues. In that game, they scored twice in the final minutes of regulation to tie and ultimately won in double overtime.

Meanwhile, the Stars are seeking to reach the Western Conference Final for the third year in a row. They understand that the Jets will come out fighting hard as their season hangs in the balance. Stars forward acknowledged, “Every team in the playoffs is super competitive. When you put a team in a situation where they’re in a must-win, they’re going to come out really hard.”

Statistically, teams trailing 3-1 in a best-of-7 series and hosting Game 5 have historically had a mixed record. Out of 122 teams in this position, 68 have managed to push the series to Game 6. The Jets are determined to add their name to that list.

The game is set to begin at 9:30 p.m. ET and will be televised on CBC, TVAS, SN, TNT, truTV, and MAX.

The Jets need to capitalize on their home advantage if they want to turn the series around. “We’ve got to win at home. Obviously, we can’t lose our last game,” Arniel noted.