Stanley Cup playoffs daily: Preview for Jets-Blues Game 6

After three eliminations on Thursday night, there is only the possibility of one on Friday -- of course, there's only one game on Friday.

All eyes in the hockey world will be on the Enterprise Center in St. Louis as the Blues host the Winnipeg Jets. With a win, the Blues extend the series to Game 7 on Sunday. A win for Winnipeg punches their ticket to the second round.

So who wins?

Read on for a game preview with statistical insights from ESPN Research, recaps of what went down in Thursday's games and the Three Stars of Thursday Night from Arda Öcal.

Matchup notes

Winnipeg Jets at St. Louis Blues
Game 6 (WPG leads 3-2) | 8 p.m. ET | TNT

Game 5 winners in a best-of-seven series tied 2-2 have gone on to win the series 79% of the time (233-62).

Winnipeg's Kyle Connor had his second game this postseason with three or more points, becoming the third player in Thrashers/Jets 2.0 postseason history with multiple such games in one postseason. Blake Wheeler and Paul Stastny (both in 2018) are the others.

Mark Scheifele, who is second in scoring for the Jets this postseason, did not return after a hard hit in the first period of Game 5, and did not travel with the team to St. Louis for Game 6.

Blues forward Nathan Walker scored two goals in Game 5. Born in Wales (though raised in Australia), he became the second Welsh-born player to score a goal in the Stanley Cup playoffs, joining Jack Evans (who played from 1956-63).

The Enterprise Center has been a venue for the Blues in this series; the team won both home games this series by an aggregate score of 12-3.

Arda's three stars from Thursday night

1. Max Pacioretty
LW, Toronto Maple Leafs

Pacioretty scored his first goal since December 20, and his first playoff goal since 2021, which proved to be the game-winner for Toronto as they eliminate Ottawa in the Battle of Ontario.

2. Mark Stone
RW, Vegas Golden Knights

Stone had two points, including the game winner that he batted out of the air, as Vegas eliminates Minnesota and moves on the second round.

3. Roope Hintz, Mikko Rantanen
F, Dallas Stars

Despite losing to the Avs, Rantanen and Hintz became the first teammates in Stanley Cup playoff history to each record four points in a period. They get another chance to win a clinching game against Colorado on Saturday.

Thursday's scores

Toronto Maple Leafs 4, Ottawa Senators 2
TOR wins 4-2, plays FLA in Round 2

At least on this night, the playoff demons stayed away from the minds of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and they are on to Round 2. Auston Matthews and William Nylander started things off for Toronto before Brady Tkachuk pulled the Senators back within a goal 7:28 into the second. Veteran Ottawa forward David Perron tied the game at two 12:40 into the third, sending the home fans into a frenzy, but Toronto's Max Pacioretty had the answer less than two minutes later. Nylander added an empty-netter to cap this one, and send the Leafs on to play the Florida Panthers in Round 2. Full recap.

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0:53

Auston Matthews sneaks in power-play goal for Toronto

Auston Matthews wrists in a power-play goal just past the goalie's skate late in the first period for the Maple Leafs.

Vegas Golden Knights 3, Minnesota Wild 2
VGK wins 4-2, plays EDM in Round 2

After the two teams traded goals in the first period -- Shea Theodore for Vegas, Ryan Hartman for Minnesota -- Jack Eichel scored his first goal of the postseason 16:12 into the second. After Eichel nearly scored another late in the third, his linemate Mark Stone did score by knocking the puck in out of mid-air, giving the Knights a two-goal edge. They'd need it, as Hartman added another goal 31 seconds later, but the Wild could not find the equalizer in the final three minutes, and Vegas moves on. Full recap.

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0:48

Mark Stone hits puck into net out of midair for Vegas goal

Mark Stone gives Vegas a 3-1 lead as he whacks it in out of midair.

Colorado Avalanche 7, Dallas Stars 4
Series tied 3-3 | Game 7 Saturday

A defensive struggle this series has not been (save for a 2-1 OT win by the Stars in Game 3). The goal onslaught was on full display in Game 6. After two goals in the first for the Avs, the Stars had four in the second period -- with Roope Hintz and Mikko Rantanen having a hand in all of them. However, the Avs got one goal from Martin Necas (who came over from Carolina in the original Rantanen trade), which was critical to what happened in the third. In the final frame, Colorado scored four straight --the game-tying tally from Valeri Nichushkin and the game-winner from Nathan MacKinnon, followed by empty-netters by Josh Manson and Cale Makar. We're on to Game 7 Saturday! Full recap.

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1:09

MacKinnon's 6th goal of the series pushes Avs ahead

Nathan MacKinnon finds the net for the sixth time this series to give the Avalanche the lead in the third period.

Edmonton Oilers 6, Los Angeles Kings 4
EDM wins 4-2, plays VGK in Round 2

And so for the fourth year in a row, the Kings' season ends in the first round of the playoffs against the Oilers. With the Kings' backs against the wall, Quinton Byfield and Brandt Clarke obliged the cause with first-period goals ... unfortunately, Adam Henrique, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman also did, giving the Oilers a 3-2 edge after one. The Oilers would add to that lead with goals from Darnell Nurse and Trent Frederic in the second. L.A. would claw back with goals from Jordan Spence and Anze Kopitar, but that was as close as they'd get, with Connor Brown sealing the deal with an empty-netter. Edmonton-Vegas is the Pacific Division matchup in the next round. Full recap.

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0:57

Oilers go up 5-2 on Trent Frederic's goal

Trent Frederic's impressive goal pads the Oilers' lead in the second period.