Josh Morrissey's return to action helps lift Jets in Game 2 win over Dallas

Judy Owen · The Canadian Press

· Posted: May 10, 2025 11:05 AM EDT | Last Updated: 5 minutes ago

Josh Morrissey expanded his relation for the Winnipeg Jets successful Friday's cardinal 4-0 triumph implicit the Dallas Stars.

The prima defenceman drew a punishment that led to Winnipeg's archetypal goal, assisted connected it and past aboriginal saved a imaginable Dallas goal.

"Yeah, portion goaltender. That's the Josh we know," Jets caput manager Scott Arniel said.

Morrissey was backmost successful enactment aft suffering an upper-body wounded aboriginal successful the archetypal play of Winnipeg's opening-round 4-3 Game 7 triumph implicit the St. Louis Blues past Sunday.

He missed Winnipeg's 3-2 Game 1 nonaccomplishment to Dallas, but made a speedy interaction Friday successful a triumph that evened the second-round Western Conference series.

Morrissey drew a high-sticking treble insignificant for Stars guardant Tyler Seguin 17 seconds into the archetypal period.

Vilardi scored successful the 2nd portion of the punishment astatine 3:35, with the Calgary autochthonal picking up the secondary assist.

Winnipeg had gone 0-for-4 connected the powerfulness play successful Game 1 against Stars and finished Friday's lucifer 1-for-5. Dallas was 0-for-3.

"You saw what helium tin do, some quarterbacking that powerfulness play and besides the violative side, him jumping successful the violative zone," Arniel said of Morrissey.

"He's a pugnacious feline to target. He's a pugnacious feline to benignant of unopen down erstwhile helium has the puck up there. Liked a batch of what helium did. And certainly, having him backmost is simply a existent bully feeling for our group."

Nikolaj Ehlers scored his archetypal of 2 goals, 1 an empty-netter, connected Dallas netminder Jake Oettinger little than 4 minutes aft Vilardi's marker.

Jets skipper Adam Lowry made it 3-0 astatine 11:02 of the 2nd period.

With conscionable implicit 5 minutes near successful the mediate frame, Morrissey helped retired goalie Connor Hellebuyck large time.

Evgenii Dadonov's changeable deed Hellebuyck's mitt and the puck started going crossed the crease. Morrissey tangled up Stars guardant Wyatt Johnston connected the doorstep and knocked the puck away.

"Just an astonishing prevention by Helly to commencement that," Morrissey said. "It's a beauteous high-danger opportunity. He made a large save, was conscionable trying to container retired Johnston connected the backside.

"In those moments it's conscionable desperation. Thankfully, we had Helly to marque that save, and past similar I said, conscionable effort and get it retired of determination arsenic accelerated arsenic possible."

Hellebuyck appreciated the help.

"It's a squad game, and it takes everyone," said the reigning Vezina Trophy winner, who's up for the apical goalie grant again.

Back connected the apical antiaircraft pairing with Dylan DeMelo, Morrissey logged a team-high 22:39 of crystal time, had 1 changeable connected goal, 2 blocks and 1 hit.

"Really bully to spot him retired there," Vilardi said of Morrissey. "He's ever jumping successful the rush, but he's truthful reliable defensively and he's a cardinal portion of our team. It's bully to person him back. Good to person him connected the powerfulness play arsenic well."

Morrissey was gladsome to beryllium back, particularly aft missing retired connected Winnipeg's melodramatic Game 7 triumph implicit the Blues.

The Jets had been down 3-1 precocious successful the 3rd play of that crippled erstwhile Vladislav Namestnikov scored and past Cole Perfetti tied with 3 seconds remaining. Captain Adam Lowry scored astatine 16:10 of treble overtime.

"I privation I was retired determination to consciousness that excitement," Morrissey said. "I was truthful arrogant of the squad and the guys for what they were capable to bash and the resilience they showed with [three] seconds left. It was amazing.

"The heroics and each feline stepping up to get america to the adjacent round, I consciousness precise grateful that I get to beryllium backmost connected the crystal with the guys present and capable to pursuit this playoff imagination here."