The Dallas Stars already have wrested away home-ice advantage from the Winnipeg Jets in their Western Conference semifinals series.
Now the Stars have the opportunity to assume control of the series when they play host to the Jets in Game 3 on Sunday afternoon.
The best-of-seven Stanley Cup playoff series is even after Dallas won the opener 3-2 and the Jets responded with a 4-0 victory Friday in Manitoba.
With three of the next four games being played in the heart of Texas, this is a golden chance for the Stars to take control against the regular-season champions.
“We feel good. We’re a resilient group and we have a lot of confidence in our game,” Stars forward Wyatt Johnston told the team website. “At this point of the playoffs, we have a pretty good idea of what we need to do each night to win, so it’s just a matter of putting our best game out there for Game 3.”
Dallas won three of four home games during its opening-round series victory over the Colorado Avalanche, which went a full seven games. That success gives the club a boost of confidence while returning home. Coming off a shutout loss provides the Stars extra motivation.
“Obviously, when you get shut out, it doesn’t feel good,” said Stars forward Matt Duchene. “We’re too good of a team to get shut out. He (Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck) made some great saves, he’s going to have games like that – he might be MVP of the league this year – but we have to have a short memory.”
Speaking of confidence, the Jets received a boost with their Game 2 victory that was led by Nikolaj Ehlers scoring twice in a three-point outing and included a 21-save performance by Hellebuyck.
“We’re playing our game, and we know what it looks like and we know what it feels like,” Hellebuyck said. “That being said, we’ve got to wipe it and go play a hard road game. It’s never easy on the road, especially at playoff time.”
Winnipeg lost all three road games in its opening-round series over the St. Louis Blues.
Not only is Sunday an opportunity for the Jets to show they can win on the road, but it is also a chance for Hellebuyck to be the dominant goaltender he can be away from his home arena. Hellebuyck was pulled in all three of those defeats in St. Louis.
He needed Friday’s shutout as much for his psyche as the team needed to win.
“There were stretches in the first round where I really liked my game. Just wasn’t in the results,” Hellebuyck said. “I like where we’re at. The team in front of me is playing phenomenal, so we’re going to have fun. Just continue to have fun.”
The confidence from the goaltender was palpable in Friday’s victory.
“For 51 minutes of that hockey game, we were really good and there was a nine-minute span where puck management wasn’t great,” Jets coach Scott Arniel said. “… Dallas, you just saw why they’re No. 2 in the league on their transition and their ability to attack. That’s something that’s kind of self-inflicted but ‘Helly’ made sure that we shut the door.”
–Field Level Media
