“We can't take our foot off the gas": Winnipeg Jets surge to the playoff race, needs one point for the wild-card spot

The Winnipeg Jets are back in the playoff run after a strong run of form, climbing to within just one point of a Western Conference playoff spot following a crucial overtime win over the Chicago Blackhawks. As reported by TSN, the Jets have gone 17-11-8 in 2026, to sit one point behind the Nashville Predators for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Reports suggest that the Jets secured a 4–3 overtime victory.

Prominent players like Kyle Connor scored just 33 seconds into overtime after a setup from Mark Scheifele, who recorded three assists in the game. In addition to this, Josh Morrissey, Cole Perfetti, and Isak Rosén also scored for the Jets. As per the NHL, Winnipeg now shares that 76‑point total with the Los Angeles Kings, who have played one fewer game, giving the Jets a narrow edge in the current playoff standings.

Winnipeg Jets surge back into playoff race with win over the Chicago Blackhawks, just one point back of the wild-card spot

The Winnipeg Jets' last-minute surge has put them on track for their goal of reaching the upcoming NHL playoffs after defeating the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday night. They are sitting just one point back of the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

As per the NHL, the Jets will enter the playoffs with a 76‑point ledger (32–30–12), one point behind the idle Nashville Predators for the second wild‑card berth. Winnipeg has 76 points, similar to the Los Angeles Kings, who have played one fewer game, giving the Jets a narrow but meaningful edge in the standings.

According to the NHL, Winnipeg has won four of its past five games, fighting against the Predators, Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, and Seattle Kraken for the last playoff spot, with all four teams within two points of each other. The St. Louis Blues also remain in the race, just four points back of Nashville with a game in hand.


As the team is hoping to do well in the playoff race, the head coach of the Jets, Scott Arniel, said after a 4-3 overtime win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday. “We just said to take care of our own business, and that’s what we’re trying to do. We got ourselves here, but we can’t take our foot off the gas.” He further added, “We have got to make sure that we continue to do those things that keep us in games and that give us a chance to win.”

Meanwhile, the Jets captain, Adam Lowry, said after winning the game, “We know every game is important. We came and talked about it after the first intermission. We don’t have time to just squander points. We can’t have these letdowns where we play one great game, and then come down and take a breath. So, it was a big win for us. You know, tight game. You’ve got to give Chicago credit. I thought they played a pretty good game.”

Winnipeg will now look to carry this momentum into its upcoming games, as it is just behind by one point in the Stanley Cup playoffs. They are now preparing to face the Dallas Stars on Thursday as their playoff push continues.

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