How many times have you heard me say, in one way, shape, or form, that Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck can’t play when the stakes rise? Oftentimes, I have a million ‘what-if’ thoughts running through my mind when a team I cover is facing elimination. But that wasn’t the case with the Blues, who I knew would keep putting up five-plus goals at home.
By the end of the first 40 minutes of the game, I started writing this article. Wanna know why? Because they were up 5-1 over Connor Hellebuyck and company. It was game, set, and match in what should be a momentum-booster heading into a pivotal Game 7 in Manitoba.
Now, Game 7’s gonna be a fun affair regardless of who ends up winning this thing, even if we’d like to see the Blues advance. And if they get the sticks going, they will. Why? Do I really need to explain why? Because Hellebuyck can’t stop anyone when they put up about 25 shots on goal.
The Blues are about 25 shots on goal away from winning this series
If the Blues log 25 shots on goal and they somehow lose to the Jets, it comes down to two things. Either Connor Hellebuyck, for once, played a decent game in the series, or the Blues couldn’t stop Kyle Connor and Company. What would likely happen is this: They’ll score at least five goals and force the Jets to keep pace, something Winnipeg seems incapable of when the Blues score five times.
So, they got momentum heading into Game 7, and they know they only need to shoot the puck at the net about 25 times. The only real catch is that the game will be in Manitoba, where the Blues tend to forget how to play offense. But maybe this time, it’ll be an outlier, and they’ll knock off the Presidents’ Trophy winners.
That said, I don’t want them to stop at 25 shots on goal, since either their defensive play or goaltender Jordan Binnington could struggle through an off-night. But given the way things have gone in this series, shooting the puck 25 times means the Jets would likely need to score five times to tie and six to win.
Blues need to look at Game 7 as the world’s greatest opportunity
Yeah, they’re 0-3 so far in Winnipeg, which is a downer. But hey, this is why you look at these adverse scenarios as opportunities. Blessings, not curses. And it only takes one good effort to finally get a win on the road, especially in a hostile environment like Winnipeg. The crowd might be smaller, but they’re feisty and full of cool traditions.
And they’ll be out in full force. But again, if I’m Jim Montgomery, I’m talking about opportunity. Not just an opportunity to exorcise my demons on the road so far in the playoffs, but an opportunity to knock off the Presidents’ Trophy winners. And, given what Montgomery went through two years ago, it’d be a great equalizer.