WINNIPEG -- Josh Morrissey is expected to return for the Winnipeg Jets when they try to even the series against the Dallas Stars in Game 2 of the Western Conference Second Round at Canada Life Centre on Friday (9:30 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, TNT, truTV, MAX).
The defenseman sustained an undisclosed injury during the first period of the Jets’ 4-3 double-overtime win against the St. Louis Blues in Game 7 of the first round and did not play in Winnipeg's 3-2 loss in the opener of this best-of-7 series Wednesday.
Morrissey was at his usual spot on the top defense pair with Dylan DeMelo during the morning skate Friday and also worked on the top power-play unit with forwards Mark Scheifele, Gabriel Vilardi, Nikolaj Ehlers and Kyle Connor.
The 30-year-old has three assists in seven games this postseason.
“He’s a part of our rush, he’s a part of that offensive side," Winnipeg coach Scott Arniel said of Morrissey. "He has a skill set that, when the puck’s on his stick, whether it’s pass or him shooting it, with that shot of his, we’ve seen it often diving in.
“The other side, too, [is] his feet and mobility. They have more than just one player who’s playing really well right now. They have some other really good skill players who are quick and can make plays. Josh and 'Mel' (DeMelo) have done a great job the last couple of years playing against top-end players and now having him with [Dylan] Samberg and [Neal Pionk], our top four back together, that’s big.”
Meanwhile, the Stars are in unfamiliar but welcome territory; after winning Game 1 of a Stanley Cup Playoff series for the first time since 2020, they have a chance to take the first two games on the road.
“We’ve never had that mentality going into Game 2,” Stars forward Jason Robertson said. “We’re up a game and we have to take control because we know there’s going to be pushback. We’re normally the team pushing back and trying to even the series.
“It’s a big mindset in our room. We have a lot of veterans in here who have done it over five years ago (the last time Dallas held a 1-0 series lead, in an eventual six-game loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2020 Stanley Cup Final), so they’re going to lead us, coaches are going to prepare us, because we have an opportunity here to get both.”
Teams that lose Game 1 of a best-of-7 series at home are 180-109-1 (.621) in their next game at home. Teams that win the first two games of a best-of-7 series when starting on the road own an all-time series record of 88-22 (.800).
Here is a breakdown of Game 2:
Stars: Dallas’ defense has done well in the absence of Miro Heiskanen, who remains out because of a knee injury. The Stars are looking for more of the same from the group in Game 2. “It’s a different group, obviously, without Miro in there," Dallas coach Pete DeBoer said, "and a different group probably than we’ve played in the past. We had more puck movers, a little more offense from our defensemen joining the rush. This group is big and solid and they take a lot of pride in defending. So we’re built a little differently that way, but they’ve been really effective.”
Jets: Winnipeg still is looking to get more from its power play, and Morrissey returning could be a big help. The Jets are 5-for-26 (19.2 percent) on the power play this postseason, including 0-for-4 without Morrissey in Game 1. Winnipeg's top power-play unit is back together again, and that’s great from Arniel’s vantage point: "[We] really need them to be a big, big threat, when it gets back to where our power play is dangerous every time it steps out there. It really puts the opposition on their heels about taking penalties.”
Number to know: 40, the Stanley Cup Playoff career points for Jets forward Nino Niederreiter, who became the second Switzerland-born player in NHL history with that many; Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi has 45. Niederreiter also became the the first Switzerland-born NHL player to skate in 100 career playoff games Wednesday.
What to look for: Will the power play help give the Jets the boost they need to even the series? Will Stars forward Mikko Rantanen, who has hat tricks in back-to-back games, add to his already-impressive postseason points total (15 points; eight goals, seven assists)?
What they are saying
“I think in the playoffs, your desperation level always goes up after you lose a game. Their desperation, they’re not going to want to lose two at home, so their desperation level is going to go up. We have to make sure that ours is comparable.” -- DeBoer
“Obviously there's urgency to get the win because you don't want to be down 2-0. But at the end of the day, you don't win the series after tomorrow's game. You’d like to get it, obviously be 1-1. There's going to be, obviously, urgency from our side to get it done, but knock on wood, obviously God forbid we lose, we can't hit the panic button and start freaking out.” -- DeMelo
Stars projected lineup
Mikael Granlund -- Roope Hintz -- Mikko Rantanen
Jamie Benn -- Matt Duchene -- Tyler Seguin
Mason Marchment -- Wyatt Johnston -- Jason Robertson
Oskar Back -- Sam Steel -- Evgenii Dadonov
Thomas Harley -- Ilya Lyubushkin
Esa Lindell -- Cody Ceci
Lian Bichsel -- Alexander Petrovic
Jake Oettinger
Casey DeSmith
Scratched: Mavrik Bourque, Colin Blackwell, Mathew Dumba, Brendan Smith
Injured: Miro Heiskanen (knee), Nils Lundkvist (shoulder)
Jets projected lineup
Kyle Connor -- Mark Scheifele -- Gabriel Vilardi
Nikolaj Ehlers -- Vladislav Namestnikov -- Cole Perfetti
Nino Niederreiter -- Adam Lowry -- Mason Appleton
Brandon Tanev -- Morgan Barron -- Alex Iafallo
Josh Morrissey -- Dylan DeMelo
Dylan Samberg -- Neal Pionk
Haydn Fleury -- Colin Miller
Connor Hellebuyck
Eric Comrie
Scratched: Dominic Toninato, David Gustafsson, Jaret Anderson-Dolan, Luke Schenn, Ville Heinola
Injured: Rasmus Kupari (concussion), Logan Stanley (undisclosed)
Status report
The Stars, who held an optional morning skate, will dress the same lineup they used in a 3-2 win in Game 1 on Wednesday. ... Schenn, a defenseman, will be a scratch for the first time this postseason.
NHL.com independent correspondent Darrin Bauming contributed to this report
