Jets Stun Blues in Double Overtime Thriller, Advance to Round Two

In one of the most dramatic finishes in NHL history, the Winnipeg Jets tied Game 7 with just 1.6 seconds remaining before defeating the St. Louis Blues 4–3 in double overtime. They’ll now face the Dallas Stars in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

After a dominant 5–2 win in Game 6 by the St. Louis Blues, the series returned to Winnipeg for a winner-take-all Game 7.

A major storyline entering the night was the underwhelming play of Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. The two-time Vezina Trophy winner appeared to have a case of the yips, having been pulled from the crease in all three road games during the series. Heading into Game 7, the Jets simply needed Hellebuyck to be average.

The first period didn’t start well for either Hellebuyck or Winnipeg. The Blues scored twice on their first four shots and carried a 2–0 lead into the first intermission, outshooting the Jets 7–3 through 20 minutes.

Jets forward Cole Perfetti got the home crowd buzzing midway through the second with a power-play tip-in goal, cutting the deficit to one. But with just seconds left in the period, Nathan Walker found Radek Faksa on a three-on-two rush, and Faksa fired a wrist shot past Hellebuyck’s glove to restore the two-goal cushion. St. Louis led 3–1 heading into the third.

Down two goals, the Jets came out flying in the final frame. They were relentless but couldn’t seem to solve Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington. With under three minutes left, Winnipeg pulled Hellebuyck for the extra attacker in a desperate push to extend their season.

After working the puck around the offensive zone, Vladislav Namestnikov flung a shot from the right circle toward the net, hoping for a deflection. The puck bounced off a Blues defenseman and in, making it 3–2 with time running out.

The Blues dug in. They blocked shots, clogged lanes, and seemed on the verge of surviving. The clock wound down to the final seconds.

With just seven ticks left, Nikolaj Ehlers whiffed on a shot attempt. Jets captain Adam Lowry recovered the puck and shoveled it back to Ehlers at the point, who then moved it quickly across the ice to Kyle Connor. With three seconds remaining, Connor threw the puck toward the net in a final act of desperation. Somehow, it found Cole Perfetti in front of the crease, and he redirected it into the goal with 1.6 seconds on the clock.

Madness. Pure madness broke out inside Canada Life Centre. Jets fans and players alike leapt to their feet, screaming in disbelief. Winnipeg had forced overtime by the slimmest of margins.

One overtime wasn’t enough. In the 96th minute of the game, Winnipeg controlled the puck in the offensive zone. Defenseman Neal Pionk skated along the blue line, using his edges to create space before firing a shot toward the net. Adam Lowry, once again at the center of it all, got a stick on the puck and deflected it past Binnington on the blocker side.

Game over. Series over. Jets win.

An absolute heartbreaker for the Blues and their fans—but an instant classic. No team in NHL history has ever tied a Game 7 later than Perfetti’s goal.

The Winnipeg Jets will begin their second-round series against the Dallas Stars tomorrow night at 9:30 PM EDT in Winnipeg.