NHL DFS Picks for the Playoffs: Jets vs Stars – Game 6

This year’s NHL Presidents’ Trophy winners, the Winnipeg Jets, are on the verge of elimination in the second round of the playoffs. Despite defeating the Dallas Stars at home last night in Game 5, 4-0, the Jets still trail, 3-2, in this Western Conference semifinal matchup. The Stars look to clinch the series at home tonight at 8 PM ET. The last time Dallas had a chance to clinch a series on home ice, Mikko Rantanen recorded a hat trick against his former team, the Colorado Avalanche, as Dallas won its first-round series in seven games. 

If Winnipeg is eliminated, it would continue a curious curse. Presidents’ Trophy winners, the NHL team that records the most points in the regular season, have not won a Stanley Cup since the Chicago Blackhawks in 2013. Since then, only two teams, the New York Rangers in 2015 and last season, have even reached their respective conference finals. Can the Jets stave off elimination for a second straight time and get back home, where they have shut out the Stars twice in a row? Or will Dallas clinch on home ice and head to the Western Conference finals for the third straight season?

Let’s break down each team’s play in Game 5 while previewing tomorrow night’s matchup and our Jets @ Stars NHL pick.

Winnipeg Jets Game 5 Recap

The Jets blanked the Stars for the second straight time at home in Game 5, 4-0. Winnipeg has outscored Dallas 8-0 in the last two contests at the Canada Life Centre. Nikolaj Ehlers had 2 goals, while Vladislav Namestnikov and Mark Scheifele each had 1 goal and 1 assist. Kyle Connor, who leads the Jets with 16 postseason points, and Neil Pionk both had 2 assists.

Connor Hellebuyck made 22 saves for his second straight shutout at home. But the Vezina Trophy favorite has been off his game this postseason. He has a 3.18 goals against average, more than one goal more than what he allowed during a 47-win, 2.01 GAA regular season. He’s allowed 37 goals in 12 games, including 24 in six road games. 

With Game 6 moving back to Dallas and American Airlines, the Jets are in trouble. They haven’t won on the road all postseason, going 0-5 and getting outscored 25-8. That includes two losses in Games 3 and 4 at Dallas in this series, where the Jets only scored three goals while allowing eight. Losing Game 1 at home, where Winnipeg has gone 6-1 overall this postseason, may cost the team its first trip to the conference finals since 2018.

Dallas Stars Game 5 Recap

It was a forgettable performance at Winnipeg in Game 5, as the team was held scoreless yet again. Jake Oettinger, who has outdueled Hellebuyck in this series, stopped 31 of 34 shots, but the team could not get going offensively. 

Mikko Rantanen’s 9 goals and 19 points this postseason are both tops in the NHL. He’s been held to 1 assist in the last two games. The mid-season acquisition is being counted on heavily as the Stars’ top three regular-season scorers – Matt Duchene, Jason Robertson, and Wyatt Johnston – have just four goals and 10 assists in the postseason, including just one goal and three assists in this series. 

Jets @ Stars NHL Picks

This is a tough spot for Winnipeg. Dallas is 5-1 at home in the postseason, and played very well at American Airlines Arena in Games 3 and 4 against the Jets. Winnipeg is getting outscored by an average of more than three goals on the road. Another effort like that will send them packing.

Dallas will look for another standout series-clinching performance from Rantanen, who has emerged as the team’s strongest scoring threat this postseason. He has 9 goals overall in the playoffs, but just 1 goal in his last four games. That should change in Game 6 with the chance to advance the Stars. 

Our Pick: Mikko Rantanen to Record 1+ Goals