This wasn’t exactly how the Dallas Stars envisioned their night against the Winnipeg Jets going, especially considering they came into the contest with a three-games-to-one series lead.
They would ultimately lose 4-0 at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, extending the series back to a sixth game in Dallas.
During the 3rd period, things started to get out of hand, and it was Stars team captain Jamie Benn who was sent to the showers early for a controversial move on his part that could result in further discipline from the NHL.
Stars Team Captain Jamie Benn Ejected For A Sucker Punch
With the Jets leading 3-0 in the game’s final frame, a scrum broke out in front of the team benches that eventually resulted in Benn sucker punching Jets forward Mark Scheifele in the face with a left hook as an official tried to separate them.
Scheifele immediately hit the ice in distress. Benn was handed a 10-minute misconduct and ejected from the game.
Benn dropped Scheifele like a bag of bricks 🧱 pic.twitter.com/JtFuFXbSfL
— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets)
He was also given a two-minute minor penalty for roughing as part of the melee.
Stars Coach Pete DeBoer Believes Scuffle is Good For The Series
When asked about the incident, Stars head coach Pete DeBoer acknowledged that both teams don’t like each other at this point in the series and that this kind of thing is to be expected.
“I think it’s an emotional series,” he said. “You play this time of year against one team, there gets to be a little bit of hate out there. That’s okay.”
It was Scheifele who gave the Jets a 1-0 lead in the opening 20 minutes of play after a fortunate bounce in which his pass deflected off a pair of Stars players and behind a helpless Jake Oettinger for the game’s opening goal.
The Jets also got goals from ex-Stars forward Vladislav Namestnikov as well as two from Nikolaj Ehlers in the third period. Meanwhile, Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck stopped all 22 shots that the Stars fired his way for his second shutout of the series. Oettinger made 31 saves in a losing effort.
The Jets did what they had to do and won Game 5 in front of their home fans to extend their season into Game 6, which will be played back in Dallas at American Airlines Center on Saturday night. Puck drop is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET.
