Winnipeg faces elimination after Dallas takes 3-1 series lead heading back to Manitoba
DALLAS – Stanley Cup Playoffs 2025 – Western Conference Second Round Coverage – Mikael Granlund delivered a playoff performance to remember Tuesday night, scoring his first career Stanley Cup Playoff hat trick to lift the Dallas Stars to a 3-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 4 at American Airlines Center.
With the win, Dallas takes a commanding 3-1 series lead, sending the series back to Winnipeg for Game 5 on Thursday, where the Jets must now win to keep their playoff hopes alive.
“It’s a great win, but the job’s far from done,” Granlund said postgame. “We know we have a tough challenge ahead in Winnipeg.”
Granlund’s three-goal night marked just the third hat trick of his NHL career, and his first since 2017 when he was with the Minnesota Wild.
Oettinger Shuts the Door as Jets Struggle to Finish
Jake Oettinger was solid in net for Dallas, stopping 31 shots, including a critical pad save on Kyle Connor’s shorthanded breakaway in the third period, preserving a narrow 2-1 lead.
“When we have everyone healthy, we feel like we’re a tough out,” said Oettinger. “We’re up 3-1 now, and it’s on us to play a mature road game in Winnipeg. We don’t want to come back to Dallas for Game 6.”
Dallas also welcomed back Miro Heiskanen, playing his first game since January 28 after recovering from a knee injury, adding 14:52 of ice time and an assist.
“It’s the first time we’ve had our full lineup all playoffs,” said Stars coach Pete DeBoer. “And that gave us a shot of energy tonight.”
Jets on the Brink: One Game at a Time
Despite entering the playoffs as Presidents’ Trophy winners, the Jets now find themselves on the ropes, needing three straight wins to survive.
Nikolaj Ehlers scored Winnipeg’s lone goal early in the second, but the Jets couldn’t solve Oettinger beyond that, despite firing 70 shot attempts.
“We have to be harder on pucks, find those rebounds, get greasy goals,” Ehlers said. “They scored, we didn’t. That’s the story.”
Winnipeg coach Scott Arniel echoed those frustrations.
“I liked our effort, but one goal won’t win you hockey games—especially against a team like Dallas,” Arniel said. “We’ve done this before. We need to find a way in Game 5.”
Series Outlook: Jets Need Urgent Response
As the series returns to Winnipeg, the Jets will look to draw energy from their home crowd and force the series back to Dallas.
For hockey fans in Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario, where many still follow the Jets and Stars as Western Canadian ties run deep, Game 5 will be a defining moment for the Jets’ season.
