The Winnipeg Jets will have to pull out all the stops if they want to survive one more game against the Las Vegas Golden Knights. The Jets face a 3-1 deficit after suffering two crushing losses at home against Vegas. Vegas can close the series out in game five at home, but the question stands, will the Winnipeg Jets fight harder to give their fans one more home game?
Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg’s top defenseman, is out for the rest of the series with a lower-body injury; head coach Rick Bowness confirmed this on Saturday, April 22nd, in this post-game presser. Scheifele would suffer an upper-body injury the following game and is out for game five in Vegas. According to Rick Bowness, if the Jets win game five and get a game six in Winnipeg, it is uncertain if Mark Scheifele will be in the lineup.
It is unsure at this point if Nikolaj Ehlers will play in Vegas or not, but this injury-ridden Jets team could use the boost in their top six. Winnipeg Jets fans would almost certainly enjoy seeing Ehlers draw into the lineup, too.
This Winnipeg Jets team has been plagued with injuries and bad luck all year, and it certainly doesn’t help in the playoffs either. When the Jets rally behind each other, they have proven they will win games. When they also play a full 60 minutes, they have proven they can win games. Game five is obviously a crucial win for the Jets, it is do or die, and we’ve seen two scenarios where the Jets played do or die this year. The Jets must lean to a similar play style in their 2-0 win against Nashville on April 8th; this was a crucial win in securing the final wildcard spot. The second win that was crucial, you ask? Their 6-2 win over San Jose two nights later on April 10th.
These are games that you look at and ask your team why they can play well, then when their playoff lives were on the line, but now that they’re in the playoffs, they seem to have stepped off the gas pedal. You can for sure make the argument that Nashville has a heavily injured team and San Jose doesn’t have that great of a team, but we’re talking about professional athletes, and some of them are playing for a new contract in July. Thursday, April 27th, the Winnipeg Jets are in a similar scenario, their playoff lives are on the line, and their play from the opening face-off to the final buzzer determines if they golf early or live to see another day.
