The Winnipeg Jets lost to the Dallas Stars 2-1 in overtime on Sunday night. That Game 6 win sent Dallas to their third straight Western Conference Final and Winnipeg home after a Presidents' Trophy regular season. But the biggest story from Saturday came off the ice, as Jets forward Mark Scheifele's dad passed away unexpectedly. He played despite the tragedy, and coach Scott Arniel acknowledged his strength after the game.
“I’m so proud of him, and his dad would be so proud of him. He wanted to win so bad,” Arniel said, per The Athletic's Murat Ates. “The circumstances (were) so, so tough … His dad and his family would be very proud of him.”
“As he said, that’d be the wishes of his dad: He would have wanted him to play,” Arniel finished.
Scheifele opened the scoring, giving the Jets a 1-0 lead in the second period. It was a poignant moment in Dallas, in a building full of fans who donated money to local charities in honor of Mark's dad, Brad. Stars forward Sam Steel responded seven minutes later to tie the game at one.
With 12 seconds left in the third period, Steel broke away and looked like he would have one more chance before overtime. Scheifele went to swipe at the puck but caught Steel's skates, earning a tripping penalty that ended Winnipeg's season in the extra frame. Thomas Harley scored on the man advantage to win.
Despite the brutal ending, Scheifele's strength was acknowledged across the league. Former Jets coach and current Panthers bench boss Paul Maurice spoke before Sunday's Game 7.
“I think just as an observation from last night, the display of courage and focus for him to do what he did, but it’s possibly an even greater display of the family — of the Scheifele family, of the Winnipeg Jet family — for him to play with his brothers,” Maurice said. “Our thank you to them for that display, and also our condolences to them.”