In one of the most dramatic finishes of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs so far, the Winnipeg Jets punched their ticket to the second round with a thrilling 4-3 double-overtime victory over the St. Louis Blues in Game 7 on Sunday night. Adam Lowry delivered the series-winner, deflecting Neal Pionk’s shot from the point 16:10 into the second overtime, sending 15,225 white-clad fans into a frenzy at Canada Life Centre.
The Jets, who won the franchise’s first Presidents’ Trophy with a 56-22-4 regular season, needed every ounce of that resilience to rally from a 3-1 third-period deficit and avoid a third straight first-round exit. Cole Perfetti was the hero of regulation, scoring twice — including the game-tying goal with just three seconds left — while Vladislav Namestnikov also scored in the furious comeback. Kyle Connor and Neal Pionk each registered three assists, and Connor Hellebuyck made 26 saves in a game that stretched 96 minutes and 10 seconds — the third-longest Game 7 in NHL history.
Lowry’s deflection capped off a night of grit and drama. The Jets went on the power play early in the first overtime when Blues captain Brayden Schenn was called for delay of game, but Jordan Binnington, who finished with 43 saves, stood tall — denying a flurry of shots, including a breakaway from Nikolaj Ehlers.
Winnipeg was playing without star center Mark Scheifele for the second straight game due to an upper-body injury and lost top defenseman Josh Morrissey to injury just eight minutes into the first period after a hit from St. Louis’ Oskar Sundqvist.
The Blues jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opening frame. Jordan Kyrou scored just 1:10 into the game — the fastest goal to begin a Game 7 in franchise history — and Mathieu Joseph added another off a neutral-zone turnover. Morrissey, who was on the ice during Joseph’s goal, headed to the dressing room shortly after and didn’t return. Perfetti cut into the deficit with a power-play goal late in the second, but Radek Faksa restored St. Louis’ two-goal lead with 34 seconds left in the period after Ehlers lost the puck.
The Jets’ stunning rally began with Namestnikov’s goal that deflected in off Blues defenseman Ryan Suter with 1:56 remaining. Winnipeg thought they tied the game 50 seconds later, but after review, the puck was ruled not to have fully crossed the line. With time running out, Perfetti came through again, redirecting a shot with just three seconds left to force overtime.
It marked only the second time in franchise history — dating back to the Atlanta Thrashers — that Winnipeg has won a game when facing elimination (now 2-8). The other came in 2018, also in Game 7, against Nashville. Meanwhile, the Blues dropped to 10-9 all-time in Game 7s.
Winnipeg now advances to face the Dallas Stars in the second round, with Game 1 set for Wednesday night in Winnipeg. It will be the first-ever postseason meeting between the two franchises.
“We’ve believed in this group all year,” said Jets head coach Rick Bowness. “To fight through the adversity, stay composed, and come back like that — it’s a special night for Winnipeg hockey.”
