WINNIPEG – Sports – Adam Lowry called game—and Game 7 delivered the kind of edge-of-your-seat drama that will live in playoff lore for years to come. With just under four minutes left in the second overtime, the Winnipeg Jets’ grinder-turned-hero tipped home the winner and punched their ticket to the second round, downing the St. Louis Blues 4-3 in an unforgettable night at Canada Life Centre.
“You dream about this as a kid—backyard rink, driveway battles,” said Lowry, the night’s unlikely hero. “To do it at home, in front of this crowd, in Game 7? That’s a memory forever.”
🧊 Comeback Kings: Jets Rally From the Brink
Down 3-1 late in the third, it looked like the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Jets were headed for a shocking early exit. But with the net empty and the season on the line, Vladislav Namestnikov and Cole Perfetti pulled off some last-minute magic.
Namestnikov’s centering pass deflected off a Blues stick and in with 1:56 to go, and then Perfetti stunned the building—2.2 seconds on the clock, top shelf, tie game. That’s the latest game-tying goal in a Game 7 in NHL history.
“After Vladdy scored, you could feel the momentum swing,” said Perfetti, who finished with two goals and was all over the ice. “We just started rolling.”
🚨 Lowry Wins It, Jets Survive the Gauntlet
After trading chances in a breathless first OT, Winnipeg finally broke through at 16:10 of double overtime. Neal Pionk’s point shot found Lowry’s stick, and then the back of the net—sending the crowd into chaos and the Jets to Round 2.
Head coach Scott Arniel called it one of the greatest games he’s ever been part of.
“We were nervous early, got down fast, but we just kept saying, ‘Hang in there,’” Arniel said. “What a finish. Absolutely incredible.”
🔥 Perfetti, Pionk, Connor Lead the Charge
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Cole Perfetti: 2 goals, including the historic game-tying marker
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Kyle Connor: 3 assists, constant offensive spark
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Neal Pionk: 3 assists, including the OT winner
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Connor Hellebuyck: 26 saves, solid when it mattered most
The Jets were again without Mark Scheifele, out for a second straight game with an undisclosed injury.
🧊 Blues Blow It Late, Exit Stings
For St. Louis, this one hurts. Goals from Jordan Kyrou, Mathieu Joseph, and Radek Faksa had them up 3-1 with just minutes left. But Winnipeg’s late-game surge flipped the script, and Jordan Binnington’s 43-save effort was all for naught.
“It’s brutal,” said Blues captain Brayden Schenn. “Two-goal lead, Game 7, and two 6-on-5 goals? That stings.”
❌ Injury Watch: Morrissey Exits Early
Jets blueliner Josh Morrissey left the game in the first after taking a hit and did not return. Arniel had no update postgame, saying, “We’ll do roll call tomorrow.”
➡️ Next Up: Jets vs. Stars
The Jets now advance to face the Dallas Stars, who beat Colorado in Game 7 on Saturday. That Central Division showdown is set to be a high-octane, high-skill battle—and after a night like this, Winnipeg’s confidence is sky-high.
“We’re rolling now,” said Lowry. “And we’re not done.”
🏒 Thunder Bay’s Winnipeg Jets Playoff Tracker: 2025 Stanley Cup Run
Stay locked in with NetNewsLedger Sports as we follow Northwestern Ontario’s closest NHL team—the Winnipeg Jets—through every shift, goal, and game on their quest for the Cup.
✅ ROUND 1: Western Conference First Round
Winnipeg Jets (1st, Presidents’ Trophy) vs. St. Louis Blues (WC2)
Series Result: Jets win series 4-3
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Game 1 (WPG): Jets 5, Blues 3 ✅
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Game 2 (WPG): Jets 3, Blues 2 ✅
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Game 3 (STL): Blues 4, Jets 1 ❌
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Game 4 (STL): Blues 5, Jets 4 (OT) ❌
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Game 5 (WPG): Jets 5, Blues 3 ✅
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Game 6 (STL): Blues 5, Jets 2 ❌
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Game 7 (WPG): Jets 4, Blues 3 (2OT) ✅
🗣️ Key Moment: Adam Lowry’s double-OT winner in Game 7 caps a wild comeback and sends Winnipeg through.
🔜 ROUND 2: Western Conference Second Round
Winnipeg Jets vs. Dallas Stars (2nd in Central Division)
Series Schedule:
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Game 1 (WPG): TBD
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Game 2 (WPG): TBD
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Game 3 (DAL): TBD
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Game 4 (DAL): TBD
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Game 5 (WPG, if needed): TBD
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Game 6 (DAL, if needed): TBD
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Game 7 (WPG, if needed): TBD
🔎 Matchup Watch: Connor Hellebuyck vs. Jake Oettinger in net. Expect high-intensity, tight-checking playoff hockey.
📅 Key Dates for Fans
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📺 Watch all games on CBC / Sportsnet / SN360
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🏒 Local watch parties & sports bars: Keep an eye on NetNewsLedger for viewing events across Thunder Bay.
⭐ Thunder Bay Ties to the Jets? We’re Watching…
While no current Jets were born in Thunder Bay, the connection runs deep:
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Strong fan base across the Northwest
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Dozens of Thunder Bay-born players have competed in past playoff runs across the league
Thunder Bay hockey fans—buckle up. Game 7 delivered a playoff classic, and the road to the Cup just got even more electric.
