The Dallas Stars had a golden opportunity to punch their ticket to the Western Conference Final, but the Winnipeg Jets had other plans. In a gritty Game 5 at Canada Life Centre, the Jets blanked the Stars 4-0, forcing a pivotal Game 6 back in Dallas on Saturday. This home-and-away tug-of-war has defined their Second Round series, and it’s closer than ever now that the Stars’ lead has been cut down to 3-2. Meanwhile, the loss didn’t just keep Winnipeg alive—it might have thrown a wrench into the NHL’s playoff schedule.

The Jets’ dominance in Game 5 showed why this series is far from over. Connor Hellebuyck was a brick wall, earning a shutout while the Stars struggled to generate pressure. Winnipeg owned the stat sheet: 35-22 in shots on goal, 52-46 in shot attempts, and a bruising 52-33 edge in hits. They also won 52 percent of faceoffs, controlling the game’s tempo. The first goal, a fluky deflection off Wyatt Johnston’s stick and Thomas Harley’s skate during a 4-on-4, wasn’t just luck—Winnipeg’s puck movement created the chance. But even with the Jets dominating the game, they only had a 1-0 lead going into the third period. The reason? Jake Oettinger. But then things went downhill—both for the Stars and the broadcasters.

According to Jason Gregor on X, a trusted voice in hockey circles, television networks wield significant influence over playoff scheduling, and they had big plans for a Stars-Oilers showdown. “TV has lots of say in playoffs, as they should as they pay huge money for the rights, and had Dallas won last night Oilers/Stars would have played Game 1 tomorrow as TV wanted a Saturday game,” Gregor tweeted.

The sweet further said, “WPG won so now WC Final won’t start until next week.” This suggests that a Stars victory in Game 5 would’ve fast-tracked the Western Conference Final to Saturday, aligning with TV’s preference for a high-profile weekend slot. Instead, Winnipeg’s win has likely pushed the series start to next week, keeping fans and networks in suspense.

This delay comes at a tough time for NHL viewership. Per an April 23 report published by Front Office Sports, TV ratings for the regular season dropped 12% compared to 2023–2024, and the Stanley Cup playoffs aren’t faring much better. Through the games on April 21, postseason broadcasts averaged 718,000 viewers, a steep 27% decline from last year. The strong presence of Canadian teams like Winnipeg in the playoffs was expected to dent U.S. viewership, and these numbers reflect that challenge. A prolonged Stars-Jets series might further complicate efforts to boost ratings.

But for the Jets, Game 6 gives them a chance to break the Presidents’ Trophy curse. On the other hand, Back-to-back shutouts in Winnipeg have exposed vulnerabilities within the Dallas team, and the Stars need to channel their own desperation in Game 6. A win at home sends them to the Western Conference Final; a loss forces a do-or-die Game 7. But despite the stakes, it doesn’t look like they are nervous about it.

Following the loss to the Winnipeg Jets, the Dallas Stars sent out a hilarious reaction on social media

The Dallas Stars were itching to wrap up their Stanley Cup playoff series against the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night, but the hockey gods had other plans. In a frustrating 4-0 shutout, the Stars couldn’t find the back of the net, despite peppering Jets’ goaltender Connor Hellebuyck with shots all night. It was a rough one for Dallas, who just couldn’t get their offense clicking. But instead of sulking, the Stars took to social media with a cheeky response that had fans chuckling.

“Saturday in Dallas?” their post read. “We prefer playing in front of our fans anyway!” Talk about spinning a loss into a flex. The Stars are clearly banking on the electric home crowd to fuel them in Game 6, where they’ll have another shot at closing out the series and punching their ticket to the Western Conference final.

This series has been a wild ride from the jump. Both teams are stacked with talent, and it’s been a back-and-forth battle. Dallas kicked things off with a tight 3-2 win in Game 1, only to get blanked 4-0 in Game 2. They bounced back with a 5-2 victory in Game 3 and a gritty 3-1 win in Game 5 before Thursday’s dud. Closing out a series is never easy, but doing it at home? That’s a whole lot sweeter.

Game 6 is set for Saturday at 8 p.m. ET, and you can catch it on ABC. The Stars need to shake off their offensive woes—two 4-0 losses in one series is a tough pill to swallow for a team this talented. Meanwhile, Hellebuyck, Winnipeg’s brick wall in the net, dropped a warning about Game 6, hinting the Jets aren’t going down without a fight. Buckle up, Dallas fans—it’s gonna be a showdown.