Perhaps that 0-4 loss wasn’t quite enough to deal with the embarrassment that the Dallas Stars now get another one. Well, here’s the context. Before leading the playoff battle with 3-1 in the series, the Stars now lose another one to the Winnipeg Jets upon entering Game 5! Because hey, though the Jets lost three times to Dallas, this one proved their prowess. After all, the goaltender Connor Hellebuyck was exceptional enough to turn away all 22 shots he faced and left the Stars with no puck getting inside the net!

However, in case you think the result just gave Winnipeg new life in the series, think again! Indeed, it was all about cutting Dallas’ lead to 3-2 but more plot follows beyond the rink. Because Game 5 wasn’t just about any ordinary win that raised the excitement but serious questions too. For what, you may ask? Well, call it an embarrassing stumble on enemy ice. Yet another physical battle on ice occurred when the Stars’ captain, Jamie Benn, got involved in unnecessary aggressive physical contact with the Jets’ forward, thereby allowing the league to take serious action.

The NHL’s Department of Player Safety dropped a massive update on X. “Dallas’ Jamie Benn has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for roughing Winnipeg’s Mark Scheifele late in Thursday night’s game,” the post read, loud and clear! Now that’s indeed like adding a sting to the already hurting Game 5 that ended with a brutal loss. Because the incident reflects not just a lapse in leadership at a crucial point in the series but how the hit seriously crossed the line of acceptable physicality.

To say that the Stars not only carry the weight of a missed opportunity now but also a public reprimand that complicates their road to closing out the series. After all, Benn has been fined $5,000, and that’s the maximum amount allowed under the NHL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement! A huge one, signaling the seriousness of the offense. And hey, this fine not only adds pressure on Benn as the team’s leader, especially during a critical playoff moment, but also brings unwanted scrutiny to the Dallas Stars organization. With a disheartening 4-0 loss in the same game and the series tightening, these kinds of lapses in discipline not only carry on-ice and off-ice consequences but also potentially disrupt team morale and momentum!

But the Stars’ head coach, Peter DeBoer, thinks otherwise. “It’s an emotional series. You play this time of year against one team and there gets to be a little bit of hate out there. That’s OK,” he said, emphasizing how this is all part of the game, especially when the stakes are too high. Is it? Not really, when Benn got penalized with a minor penalty for roughing Mark Scheifele and then with an additional 10-minute misconduct! Doesn’t this highlight the intensity and questionable nature of the hit? Perhaps the league’s decision to fine him reflects its ongoing commitment to player safety, particularly in high-stakes playoff environments only.

Scheifele felt dangerous about the Dallas Stars’ hit to him!

Well, what initially appeared to be a routine playoff scuffle now became a moment of serious concern! While team officials and some around the league tried to downplay the act, fans and analysts consider it a big deal! And how would they not when Scheifele himself tells a different story? “It was hard for me to understand either. My face hurts,” he said after already suffering a concussion earlier in the postseason! Hence, when he described the moment in painful detail, he made it clear that the hit wasn’t just excessive but dangerous!

“Couldn’t really protect myself; my arms were pinned at my side, so definitely didn’t feel good,” he further quoted. To say that Benn’s actions have sparked outrage and led many to agree that the NHL’s decision to fine him $5,000 was not just warranted but very necessary. To say that the league has sent a strong message amidst all the emotions, which are high for what’s coming next for Dallas and Winnipeg! With the Stars still leading the series with 3-2, the stakes heading into Game 6 couldn’t be higher.

After all, what started as a lopsided series favoring the Stars has turned into a war of endurance and discipline. And the next match-up? Well, that is not just going to be a test of skill but of focus, leadership, and control—especially for Dallas, whose captain’s conduct has already drawn negative attention, right? And for the Jets? Well, let’s say this momentum shift may be just what they need to finish the comeback as well.