For the second time this postseason, the Presidents' Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets are facing elimination.
This time, rather than it being in Game 7, it comes much earlier.
Falling 3-1 to the Dallas Stars in Texas on Tuesday put the Jets in a two-game hole as they head back to Manitoba for Game 5, set to be played on Thursday night.
The loss was Winnipeg's second-straight road loss in Dallas, fifth-straight road loss this postseason, and ninth-straight road loss over a span of three different playoff years.
"If I had the answer to why, we would have gotten one at some point," Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers said post-game on Tuesday night. "No, I think that we've, this year, been really good on the road, and now we need to win at home and find a way here and what we hopefully make a game six. So we need to find a way to simple as that."
Unable to contain Mikko Rantanen in Game 1, Winnipeg followed a similar script in Game 4, allowing another trade deadline addition - fellow Finn, Mikael Granlund, to score a hat trick, helping propel the hosts to a 3-1 victory at American Airlines Center on Tuesday.
But it wasn't for a lack of trying either. Winnipeg actually mustered up 32 shots to Dallas' 24 on the night, while controlling play for the better part of the game. The Jets attempted 72 shots to the Stars' 45, while earning 12 high-danger scoring chances to Dallas' eight.
Winnipeg put pucks on net and controlled most of the offence, but Dallas was able to capitalize on its chances - as few and far between as they came.
The Jets did not score on the man advantage, while Dallas picked up two power play goals in the game. Winnipeg is just 1/13 on power plays this series.
"I thought we played a good hockey game," head coach Scott Arniel said. "We had 70 shot attempts and scored one goal. We're not going to, if we can't find more than one goal, we're not going to win hockey games, especially against this hockey team.
"I liked a lot of what we did five on five. I liked a lot of the opportunities that we created. I loved our first period. We got off to a great start, had them hemmed in, had some great looks. Oettinger made some big stops. But like I said, we had 70 shot attempts. We've got to get more than that, more than one goal off of those. Maybe that's get driving harder than that. Finding those rebounds, screening, whatever it is. We've done it, we've done it in the past and we've got to find a way to do it the next game."
Connor Hellebuyck gave up another three goals - each to Granlund - including the game-opener from distance. He has now allowed 11 goals from over 30 feet away this postseason - an NHL-high.
“Just win one game," Hellebuyck said of his mindset entering a do-or-die Game 5. "Leave it all out there. I leave it all out there every night. I’m doing my best. Sometimes it’s a heartbreak, but all it takes is one little change, one little bounce and things can start going our way. We’re a good team, so we can really rack (the wins) up, but we’ve just got to worry (about) one at a time.”
Winnipeg now returns home for Game 5 in hopes of building on its home record in order to send the series back to Dallas for Game 6, which go on Saturday, if necessary. Should the Jets managed to finally earn a road win, Game 7 would be played on Monday.
"Don't lose your last game," said Arniel of his message to the group. "It's real simple. Don't lose your last game. So it's all about what's happened at home. Get our crowd in behind us. I don't care if we're homers. But we're going to have to go home and win the next one so we come back here. We've got to get the job done, focus in on this next game. Game 5. That's what it's all about. Work to make sure that we get ourselves back here to Dallas for a Game 6."