Well, that “U.S. backup” has Dallas on the verge of its third consecutive trip to the Western Conference Final. Oettinger mostly has outplayed Hellebuyck throughout these NHL playoffs and in the second-round Western Conference series that the Stars lead 3-1 over the top-seeded Jets.

WINNIPEG -- The Winnipeg Jets are in do-or-die territory, as they face elimination in Game 5 of their best-of-7 Western Conference Second Round series against the Dallas Stars at Canada Life Centre on Thursday (9:30 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, TNT, truTV, MAX).

The Jets have generated their fair share of shots vs. the Stars, and their defensemen have not shied away from getting in on the act. That will shape our Stars vs. Jets props for Game 5, featuring Neal Pionk and Jake Oettinger.

The message is simple for the Winnipeg Jets. If they hope to stay alive in their Western Conference second-round series against the Dallas Stars, they need to score more goals.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman watched firsthand when the Winnipeg Jets defeated the St. Louis Blues 4-3 in double overtime in Game 7 of the Western Conference First Round and put that magical game in historic perspective.

Losing in the playoffs is devastating. Losing while not delivering your best makes it even worse. But despite being down 3-1, captain Adam Lowry and the Winnipeg Jets are confident their season isn’t over just yet.

Mikael Granlund had his first career playoff hat trick, Jake Oettinger stopped 31 shots and the Dallas Stars beat Winnipeg 3-1 to take a 3-1 series series lead over the top seed in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs.

Oettinger makes 31 saves, Ehlers scores lone goal for Winnipeg in Game 4 The Winnipeg Jets road losing streak in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs has reached five games as they fell 3-1 to the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center.