“I’d like to have those plays back,” Connor admitted. “I gave the puck away on their second goal, and on the first, I lost my positioning.”
Jets forward Kyle Connor had a rough start in Game 7, but as true impact players do, he bounced back in dramatic fashion to help lead Winnipeg to victory.
After a shaky first period, Connor responded with three crucial assists as the Jets outlasted the St. Louis Blues 4-3 in double overtime, advancing to the second round of the playoffs on Sunday night.
“You’re not going to sit there and sulk,” Connor said. “You just do whatever you can to help the team push forward. I was able to turn things around and contribute.”
Connor’s early mistakes were costly. On the opening goal, he misread the play twice and was caught puck-watching as Jordan Kyrou found the net. Minutes later, he turned the puck over in the neutral zone, leading to a breakaway goal by Mathieu Joseph.
“I want those plays back,” Connor admitted. “I turned it over on the second goal and was out of position on the first. That’s not the way you want to start — minus two early.”
Jets coach Scott Arniel acknowledged the team’s slow start and hesitance to make plays, with Connor’s errors standing out during that stretch. “Nobody wanted to make a play early on,” Arniel said.
But Connor’s recovery began in the second period. He assisted on Cole Perfetti’s power-play goal, setting up the forward with a sharp pass from the boards. Then, with just seconds left in regulation, Connor fed another pinpoint pass to Perfetti, who tied the game at 3-3.
The defining moment came in double overtime. Connor circled behind the net and set up Neal Pionk, whose shot was deflected in by Adam Lowry to clinch the series.
Connor finished the series with four goals and eight assists — tied for the league lead in playoff scoring after the first round.
“He’s been through this before,” said Arniel. “He stepped up for us. He had huge goals and made big-time plays when we needed them most.”
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