Kyle Connor has a goal, 2 assists
to lead Jets to 5-3 win over Blues for 3-2 series lead
[May 01, 2025]
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Kyle Connor had a goal and two
assists and the Winnipeg Jets overcame the loss of star center Mark
Scheifele to beat the St. Louis Blues 5-3 on Wednesday night and
take a 3-2 lead in their best-of-seven first-round playoff series.
The Jets lost Scheifele after he was crushed into the boards by
Brayden Schenn early in the opening period.
Vladislav Namestnikov, who replaced Scheifele on the top line, had a
goal and an assist.
“When things don’t go your way, we lost (Scheifele), people have to
step up. So I think as a team we stepped up today and got the win,”
Namestnikov said.
Jets head coach Scott Arniel had no postgame updates on Scheifele
and couldn’t say if he would make the trip to St. Louis for Game 6
on Friday.
Nino Niederreiter also had a goal and assist. Dylan DeMelo and Adam
Lowry had goals while Mason Appleton had three assists.
Connor Hellebuyck made 16 saves for Winnipeg, which had top-line
winger Gabriel Vilardi back in action after missing 15 games with an
upper-body injury.
“Really proud of the effort,” said Lowry, who scored an
empty-netter. “Sometimes when you lose your No. 1 center, you lose a
key piece to your lineup there can be a bit of a sag, an emotional
letdown. But you know, I thought the guys really rallied around it.”
Nathan Walker scored twice and rookie Jimmy Snuggerud also had a
goal for the Blues. Jordan Binnington stopped 21 shots.
“They’re a good team, but we’ve played some good hockey at home for
a couple of months now, so we’re comfortable there and fans (are)
behind us,” Schenn said.
After being outscored 12-3 in two losses in St. Louis, the Jets
jumped to a 1-0 lead 1:23 into the first period.
Scheifele sent the puck from behind the net out to Connor, who
snapped it past Binnington.
[to top of second column] |
St. Louis Blues' Nathan Walker (26) tips the puck past Winnipeg Jets
goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) for the goal as Nino Niederreiter
(62) defends during first period NHL playoff action in Winnipeg on
Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)
The Blues responded when Walker stayed in front of
Hellebuyck and tipped in a point shot from Colton Parayko at 3:42.
St. Louis defenseman Cam Fowler also picked up an assist, extending
his point streak to five games with one goal and eight assists.
Winnipeg got the game’s first power play after Schenn crushed
Scheifele. He was called for interference and then roughing after
Jets forward Brandon Tanev defended his teammate.
Twenty-seven seconds after Schenn’s extra penalty expired,
Niederreiter tipped in Dylan Samberg's shot at 8:39.
Both teams took four penalties, and had 17 hits each.
After the Jets only got one shot on goal in their second power play,
Snuggerud scored his second goal of the playoffs with a low shot
that went between Hellebuyck’s left pad and the post at 6:06.
DeMelo scored Winnipeg’s first second-period goal of the series when
his point shot went off the back of Parayko and into the net at
11:05.
Connor sent a backhand pass across the front of the net to a rushing
Namestnikov, who made it 4-2 with 1:09 remaining in the second.
All contents © copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved
 |
