Jets-Stars midseries notebook: Robertson shakes off the rust, Wheeler’s TV debut and more

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DALLAS — Scott Arniel can’t say exactly why the Winnipeg Jets have suddenly transformed from one of the best road teams in the NHL to a late-game collapse waiting to happen.

The Jets are the only team left in the playoffs who have yet to win a road game, despite a sterling regular-season road record. They can’t get out of the second round without flipping the script of their road woes.

“The biggest thing that a head coach once told me — and I’ve told our group — is there isn’t a home or a road way to play,” Arniel said on Monday. “There’s only the right way.”

The Jets have the wrong way sorted out. They’ve been outscored 22-7 overall (and 18-4 at five-on-five) in four road games, with goaltender Connor Hellebuyck getting pulled three times. It’s a stunning small-sample collapse for a team that won more road games (26) than any other team this season.

The Jets slide to 18 wins and a tie for seventh when you take out three-on-three overtime and shootouts, but there’s nothing in their history that says they should be the worst road team of the playoffs. Down 2-1 in the series, there’s no way for the Jets to beat Dallas in the series without beating Dallas in Dallas.

What’s going on?

Some of it is Hellebuyck — particularly the three games against St. Louis wherein he appeared to get rattled as the deflections and screened goals piled up. But Dallas isn’t getting in Hellebuyck’s kitchen the same way the Blues did in Round 1. Some of it is big moments going against them — Cole Perfetti’s disallowed goal in Game 3 against St. Louis and Alex Petrovic’s goal in Game 3 against the Stars — but the Jets were down 3-0 when Perfetti “scored” and they gave up Mikko Rantanen’s 4-2 goal just 49 seconds after Petrovic’s was allowed to stand.

A bigger issue than the moments may be how Winnipeg has responded to them. Back-to-back goals like Petrovic and Rantanen’s aren’t a new thing for the Jets these playoffs; they allowed four goals in just 5:23 in their last game in St. Louis.

“We can look at some of those moments in games where something doesn’t go our way and maybe it compounds a little bit and be better able to handle that in the future,” Josh Morrissey said.

Any team that goes on a deep playoff run must overcome adversity. Teams that follow rough patches with wins hang banners.

“We have to make sure that … when we do get thrown a gut punch, we are able to respond in the way we know we can play,” said Perfetti. “Each moment is a building (block) for the future, the next game and the next time the adversity comes.”

There’s also the matter of the home coach getting last change. The Stars’ Rantanen line controlled the flow of play against Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor and Gabriel Vilardi, carrying a 7-1 lead in scoring chances and 87 percent of expected goals, according to Natural Stat Trick. In speaking to Arniel on Monday, the Jets appear to be more interested in cleaning up transition defense as a team than trying desperately to avoid the Scheifele/Hintz matchup.

Overall, Winnipeg is banking on taking the positive aspects from Game 3 — most of it contained within the game’s first 40 minutes — and stretching them out into a 60-minute effort.

“We have been the best team in the league all year and that gives us all the confidence in the world. Yeah, our record is not great with the road playoff games so far, but we were great on the road during the regular season,” Perfetti said. “It was because we played our style and didn’t give the opposition anything and that is how we are going to have to play.”

Waiting on Miro

It seems as if Miro Heiskanen has been on the verge of returning to the Stars lineup since the playoffs began more than three weeks ago. He skated on his own, then he skated during optional practices, then he joined morning skates, then he rotated in with the power play during practices. But through it all, he’s remained sidelined since undergoing knee surgery on Feb. 4.

Could he be back for Game 4? Alex Petrovic sure made it sound like it. When asked about the job the Dallas blue line has done in Heiskanen’s absence, the veteran Petrovic quickly pivoted to his impending return.

“Bringing him back in the lineup, it’s going to be huge,” Petrovic said. “Those guys, while he was out, did a fantastic job. They know how to handle that extra load. Having Miro back’s going to be massive. He’s an All-Star in this league. It’s a huge addition.”

Stars coach Pete DeBoer was, predictably, less forthcoming about Heiskanen’s timing.

“I said second round, right?” he said. “So I’m still sticking by what I projected, that we’ll see him in the second round.”

DeBoer was more open about Heiskanen’s impact, and cautioned that the Stars will be “smart” about easing him into the lineup. There’ll be no 30-minute games for the star defenseman — not right away, at least. But there’s no denying the impact Heiskanen can have. The Stars have come this far without arguably their best player. Imagine what they can do with him.

“I don’t think you have to look much further than across the rink at Morrissey,” DeBoer said. “(He was) out of their lineup, and all of a sudden he’s back in and the things he’s doing on the ice with the puck, defending, things like that — it changes the way your team plays. It’s a different situation and, again, I want to temper Miro coming back. Morrissey was out for two games, Miro’s been out for three and a half months.”

Robertson ramping up

Jason Robertson returned to the Stars’ lineup perhaps sooner than expected after injuring his right leg during the regular-season finale, but he hasn’t had his usual impact just yet. In three games against Winnipeg, the Stars’ top goal-scorer this season has zero points with five shots on goal, and Dallas has been outscored 3-1 at five-on-five with Robertson on the ice, despite having the lion’s share of scoring chances and high-danger chances.

After playing in all 82 games for three straight seasons, coming back from injury has been an eye-opening process for Robertson. And it’s far from complete.

“You’re coming back from injury, so whatever you had is obviously going to bother you,” he said. “That’s the No. 1 thing. Then getting up to game speed in the playoffs is a different animal. There’s no hiding out there. Every moment’s heightened, every missed assignment, any forecheck, any time you can be up the ice, everything just gets heightened.

“You’re just trying to be super simple out there till you get your legs back and get in game shape. That can take a little bit. I’ve never had that before, especially in the playoffs. Guys are stepping up and giving me time to get more and more games under me.”

Jake Oettinger and Alex Petrovic share a moment after Game 3. (Jerome Miron / Imagn Images)

Stepping in and stepping up

Petrovic, a 33-year-old veteran, has been one of the great stories of this postseason. He’s played just six regular-season games over the last two seasons, spending most of them in the AHL, but has played in 17 and counting playoff games. This spring, he’s been a steady partner for rookie Lian Bischel, and he scored just his second career playoff goal in Game 3 on the much-debated go-ahead goal early in the third period.

Petrovic’s other playoff goal? It came nine years ago with the Florida Panthers. It was also a game-winner. Unsurprisingly, Petrovic said his phone was blowing up on Sunday evening after the game.

Stars goalie Jake Oettinger said it reminded him of defenseman Joel Hanley, who helped Dallas get to the Stanley Cup Final in 2020 after playing just eight regular-season games in the NHL.

“When your number’s called, you get your opportunity, you go make the most of it,” Oettinger said. “That’s what pro sports is all about. I don’t know if there’s a person that’s watched us in the last three or four weeks that can say that he’s not an NHL defenseman. He’s earned that position, and I don’t think he’s playing in the AHL again after how well he’s done this playoffs. All the guys in the room knew it, and it’s all about making the most of your opportunity and he’s done that. I’m so happy for him.”

Blake Wheeler’s Sportsnet panel debut

Former Jets captain Blake Wheeler made his debut as a Hockey Night in Canada panelist on Sportsnet for Game 3. It wasn’t quite the NHL’s version of Ted Lasso’s foul-mouthed curmudgeon Roy Kent making a star TV turn — Wheeler, despite occasionally bristling at reporters, was articulate in his interviews as a player — but it was close.

Here’s Wheeler discussing Kyle Connor’s maturation from offense-first, star sniper to a scorer who also got the details right leading up to his Game 3 goal.

“He’s playing a complete game, putting himself in positions to score those goals.”

Blake Wheeler joins the panel tonight as they kick things off, analyzing Kyle Connor’s first period goal. pic.twitter.com/dqEUgXjm68

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 11, 2025

Wheeler was occasionally prickly as an interview subject but he was always insightful, opinionated and articulate — three ingredients that could lead to a strong broadcasting career.

“I texted with him a little bit. He said he really enjoyed it,” Morrissey said on Monday. “He’s definitely a very smart hockey guy. The way he saw the game, the way that he was able to make plays throughout his entire career, I think that bodes well for somebody watching the game from his vision and standpoint (on TV).”

Wheeler will be back on Hockey Night in Canada on Tuesday to wrap up his initial commitment. Time will tell what his future holds as a broadcaster but as a general rule, people listen when he speaks.

“He said he had a good time with it,” Morrissey said. “I’m sure he was great.”

(Top photo of Sam Steel and Cole Perfetti: Sam Hodde / Getty Images)

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