THUNDER BAY – SPORTS – Are you ready for the drama? The Stanley Cup Playoffs are serving up a high-stakes classic as the Winnipeg Jets and St. Louis Blues gear up for a decisive Game 7 in the Western Conference First Round! Puck drops Sunday at 7 p.m. ET at a raucous Canada Life Centre, and it’s win-or-go-home time.
So far the Leafs and Oilers have advanced to the second round. The Canadiens have bowed out after the Washington Capitals defeated them.
The Blues kept their season alive Friday night with a convincing 5–2 win at Enterprise Center to force this ultimate showdown. Now, all roads lead north to Winnipeg, where the Jets will look to channel the home-ice energy into a ticket to Round 2.
🏒 Jets Flying into Familiar Game 7 Territory
Let’s flashback to 2018, folks — Winnipeg’s only other Game 7 saw them cruise past the Nashville Predators with a 5–1 victory. And guess who was between the pipes that night? Yep — Connor Hellebuyck, who turned aside 36 shots in that one. He’s back in the blue paint and ready to lock it down once again.
“We got the home ice, we got our fans behind us, and our barn’s gonna be rockin’,” said Jets forward Cole Perfetti. “It’s a one-gamer — winner moves on.”
Veteran forwards Vladislav Namestnikov and Nino Niederreiter bring key Game 7 experience, with four appearances apiece — albeit with other clubs.
🎺 Blues Bring the Battle-Tested Edge
Don’t count out St. Louis. This is a team with Game 7 pedigree, boasting a 10–8 all-time record in winner-take-alls — including four straight wins. None bigger than their 4–1 win over Boston in the 2019 Stanley Cup Final.
Captain Brayden Schenn says the group is embracing the moment:
“You’ve got to enjoy the moment. We feel like we haven’t had our best game there yet, and we’re looking forward to it.”
Goalie Jordan Binnington? Ice cold in Game 7s — sporting a 2–0 record, a microscopic 0.82 GAA, and a lights-out .986 save percentage. Oh, and he backstopped that 2019 Cup win too.
🔥 What’s at Stake?
The winner punches a ticket to the second round to face either the Colorado Avalanche or Dallas Stars, who will battle it out in their own Game 7 on Saturday night in Dallas.
So, Thunder Bay hockey fans — get your snacks, crack a cold one, and settle in. This isn’t just another game.
It’s Game 7. Everything’s on the line. Let’s drop the puck.
