Winnipeg Jets' Nikolaj Ehlers (27) celebrates his goal on New Jersey Devils goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood (29) during third period NHL action in Winnipeg, Sunday, April 2, 2023. Jets coach Rick Bowness says he's hopeful that Ehlers will soon get medical clearance to return to the lineup for their first-round playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights.THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods
LAS VEGAS – The Winnipeg Jets managed to get a split in Las Vegas despite one of their top forwards sitting out with an upper-body injury.
Leaving Sin City on Friday with the best-of-seven series tied at one was a big hurdle cleared for the eighth-seeded Jets in their attempt to knock off the No. 1 Golden Knights.
Home-ice advantage is now on Winnipeg’s side with Game 3 set for Saturday afternoon at Canada Life Centre, with the return of Nikolaj Ehlers a possibility if he gets clearance from the team’s medical staff.
Jets head coach Rick Bowness said the team will see how he’s feeling on Saturday morning.
“Hopefully they will clear him tomorrow and he’s recovered enough that we’re able to put him back in the lineup,” Bowness said Friday from the team hotel on the Vegas Strip.
Ehlers has practised with the team and said he feels ready to return but didn’t play in the first two games at T-Mobile Arena. He was hurt in a game on April 11 against the Minnesota Wild.
Ehlers had 38 points (12-26) over 45 regular-season games and would provide more scoring punch to an offence that was quiet after the first intermission of a 5-2 loss in Thursday’s Game 2.
“Obviously there are always injuries at this time of year and you’re playing without key guys,” said Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey. “He’s a key player for us. We’ve had the same mentality all year. Whoever is out of the lineup, whoever is in, we try to play the same way.
“It’s that next guy up mentality.”
Winnipeg posted a 5-1 win in the series opener on Tuesday at T-Mobile Arena. The Golden Knights’ star players were essentially shut down but they bounced back in Game 2 with Mark Stone sealing the win with two late goals.
“Everybody in this league just wants to play well and help their team win,” said Jets forward Pierre-Luc Dubois. “Yesterday, those guys scored. But we could have scored in the first half too, and we played well and we could have been talking differently right now.
“It’s a long series but you don’t want to change too much. We were successful just the game before and I’m sure it’s going to come back.”
Game 4 is scheduled for Monday night in Winnipeg. The series will return to Nevada for Game 5 on Thursday.
“We’re looking forward to going home to our crowd,” Bowness said. “That rink last night was very loud and our rink in Winnipeg is going to be very loud.
“It’s going to be fun to go home and play with the whiteout and play before our fans again, get the emotional level up where it needs to be when you’re competing at this time of the year.”
If Game 6 is necessary, it will be played April 29 in Winnipeg.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 21, 2023.
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