The Dallas Stars suffered a setback Thursday night, not just on the scoreboard but also with the ejection of their captain, Jamie Benn, after an incident involving Winnipeg Jets forward Mark Scheifele. The Jets ultimately triumphed with a 4-0 victory, shrinking the Stars' series lead to 3-2.
The pivotal moment occurred in the third period with Winnipeg holding a comfortable 3-0 advantage. A heated exchange between Benn and Scheifele along the boards escalated when Benn brought Scheifele down. Winnipeg's Brandon Tanev then intervened, grabbing Benn from behind and intensifying the on-ice skirmish.
While linesman Ryan Daisy attempted to restrain Scheifele, Benn delivered a blow to Scheifele's jaw, sending both the Jets player and the official tumbling. Although Scheifele attempted to retaliate, he was prevented from reaching Benn.
The referees assessed a roughing minor and a misconduct penalty to both Benn and Tanev. Scheifele also received a two-minute penalty for roughing, resulting in a power play opportunity for Dallas.
Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck recorded his second consecutive shutout at home, stopping 22 shots. Nikolaj Ehlers led the Jets' offense with two goals, while Scheifele contributed with the opening goal, and Vladislav Namestnikov added another.
Despite the loss, Dallas retains a 3-2 series lead and will have the chance to close out the series on home ice Saturday. Winnipeg, the top seed, faces a concerning trend, having lost all five of their road games this postseason. Hellebuyck was notably pulled in three of those road contests during the first round.