LAS VEGAS – As he usually does, Winnipeg Jets captain Adam Lowry described his team’s current situation perfectly.
“Our next three games need to be our three best of the year,” he said Saturday night, just minutes after Winnipeg’s tough 7-1 defeat at the hands of the Philadelphia Flyers.
“We talked about this internal optimism, this belief in our team that we were better than we played all year and coming out of the break, I feel like we've done a good job of putting together good stretches of hockey playing well against good teams,” he said. “And that can't change.”
The situation that lies ahead of the Jets (35-32-12) as they head out on the final road trip of the regular season – a two-game trek with stops in Vegas and Utah on back-to-back nights – is simple. The Jets trail Los Angeles by five points for the final wildcard spot in the Western Conference. With six points still on the table for Winnipeg to grab, it’s still possible to catch the Kings, but the Jets would need help from the three remaining opponents on Los Angeles’ schedule: Seattle, Vancouver, and Calgary.
“We have three games left and we have a road trip here and all we can do is try and control what we can control and that is being ready to go against Vegas,” said Josh Morrissey. “There are six possible points left. Can we get all six and see where the cards fall. That is all we can do.”
Ultimately, the Jets know they can only control the teams on their schedule. With no room for error, it can be a lot of pressure to carry.
“If the intensity caught you or if it’s too much pressure, then you’re in the wrong business,” said Jets head coach Scott Arniel. “This time of the year, and the second half, this is what you play the game for, when you get put into these situations.”
Winnipeg didn’t practice on Sunday, instead using it as a travel day ahead of the season’s most crucial back-to-back set.
Even though they weren’t on the ice, the Jets recalled forwards Brayden Yager and Nikita Chibrikov from the Manitoba Moose under emergency conditions. The Moose have already clinched a playoff spot in the American Hockey League and had most recently defeated the Texas Stars 5-4 in a shootout at Canada Life Centre on Friday night.
Yager scored his 10th goal of the season in that victory and leads all Moose rookies in points with 30. As for Chibrikov, he started the 2025-26 campaign with the Jets and suited up in eight games before being loaned to the Moose. He has 16 points in 53 games this season.
Tonight, he plays his first NHL game.
"I was eating my pre-game meal (on Sunday) when Mark Morrison called me and told me I was going up. I was just getting ready to play," said Yager. "My mom was visiting in Winnipeg. We had a home stand with the Moose, she came and visited. So, she was there and we obviously called dad and my brother right away. It was quick because we were packing at the same time, but then they had to sort their flights out and come down here (to Las Vegas). It’s exciting that they get to come.”
Winnipeg's full line rushes looked like this:
