If the Winnipeg Jets are to force a Game 6 in their Round 1 Stanley Cup Playoffs series against the Vegas Golden Knights, they’ll have to do so without one of the top pieces in their lineup.
Forward Mark Scheifele, who was injured in Game 4 after crashing into the boards following a failed breakaway attempt, will not be playing in Game 5 tomorrow night in Sin City.
Scheifele, who scored a career high 42 goals during the 2022-23 regular season, has been held to only a single goal so far in four games played in the postseason.
The Jets and Golden Knights will get underway from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas beginning at 10:00 PM EST. Vegas can punch their ticket to the second round for the first time since 2021 should they ultimately emerge victorious. If not, Game 6 will return to Winnipeg’s Canada Life Centre on Saturday.
The Winnipeg Jets suffered two key losses in Game 4 of their opening round Stanley Cup Playoffs series against the Vegas Golden Knights.
First, they lost where it matters most on the scoreboard, dropping a 4-2 decision to Vegas and falling into a three games to one hole. Second, they lost key forward Mark Scheifele to an upper body injury in the first period of play. He crashed into the boards following a failed breakaway attempt, but tried to remain in the game. However, he would soon depart for the dressing room:
The good news for Jets fans who are hoping to catch a live glimpse of their team at least one more time this season is that Scheifele’s status for the pivotal Game at T-Mobile Arena has been described as “hopeful” by head coach Rick Bowness:
Should Scheifele be able to suit up, it would certainly go a long way in trying to force a Game 6 back in front of the White Out at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg.
Game 5 between the Jets and Golden Knights will start at 10:00 PM EST from Sin City.
If the Winnipeg Jets are to even up their Round 1 Stanley Cup Playoffs series with the Vegas Golden Knights at two games apiece, they may have to do so without a crucial part of their offensive attack.
Forward Mark Scheifele, who crashed into the boards on an early breakaway attempt, has departed tonight’s game with what appears to be an arm injury and has not returned. He attempted a shot during his team’s power play, and then immediately sprinted towards the bench and went right down the tunnel to the team dressing room:
And it wouldn’t be long before the worst would be confirmed by the Jets, as they released the update that Scheifele will not be returning to tonight’s game:
The Winnipeg Jets are slipping at the worst possible time this season, going 5-5-0 in their last 10 and putting up back to back L’s, while the surging Calgary Flames pick up points along the way. The Jets currently have two points on the Flames for the final Wild Card playoff spot in the Western Conference but if they continue they way they’ve been playing then they almost certainly have no shot at the playoffs.
Yesterday, Jets head coach Rick Bowness raised a few eyebrows across the league when making comments on star forward Mark Scheifele. Any Jets fan will tell you that it’s fairly obvious that Bowness and Scheifele have a strained relationship, but if you need any further proof just watch Bowness’ reaction when asked about Scheifele’s strategy for creating offense:
That eye roll says more than words could ever say…
“Shoot the puck. We can’t go into every game, ‘We need you to shoot the puck, OK,’” Bowness said of Scheifele. “When your chance is there, you’ve got to shoot the puck. You can’t be looking for — and this is where this team gets itself in trouble. When we’re looking to make that extra play that’s there, instead of putting it on the net. That’s why the shot totals are down and the goals for are down.”
Sounds fair right? The coach has a strategy and part of it is getting his #1 center to shoot more often. The problem is that Scheifele seems to feel like he should have his own rules to play by because… well because it better suits HIS game, not the team’s game.
“I’m a guy that, my whole career, I’ve played a possession game, especially in the O-zone,” Scheifele said to Murat Ates of The Athletic. “I like to hold on to the puck, especially below the goal line. That’s kind of where I create my offence. And then go to the slot when I play with some pretty magical players that can find me in the slot. That’s always been my game. You know, it’s just a matter of trying to create more possession time, trying to create more O-zone time and wear teams down. If it takes 59 minutes then it takes 59 minutes, but that’s always been my look at offence is quality over quantity.”
Combine this mess all of the trade talk and rumors surrounding former captain Blake Wheeler and it’s clear that the team’s leadership group, ie Scheifele and Wheeler, are causing some internal friction within the team right now.
Frankly, it’s time for a change in Winnipeg and there’s real speculation that both Wheeler and Scheifele will be gone this offseason. Both players are signed to big ticket contracts for next season, so there’s some work to do for GM Kevin Cheveldayoff if he is indeed looking to give his team a fresh start.
