DALLAS -- The Winnipeg Jets enter Game 6 at American Airlines Center against the Dallas Stars with heavy hearts after center Mark Scheifele's father Brad passed away unexpectedly Friday night.
Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff shared the news with reporters as the team took the ice for its morning skate. Jets head coach Scott Arniel returned to the team's hotel to be with Scheifele and announced shortly before Saturday's game that Scheifele decided he would play in Game 6.
"It rocked us all this morning when we found out," Arniel said. "Mark will be playing tonight. As he said, that'd be the wishes of his dad. He would have wanted him to play. I know he's been rooting us on here and he's been pushing hard. We got to see him earlier in the St. Louis series. He's with us, and Mark really wants to play for him."
The Jets face elimination Saturday night, as the Stars lead the series 3-2 with at trip to the Western Conference finals on the line. Winnipeg trailed 3-1 in the series before a 4-0 win Thursday night at Canada Life Centre. The Jets are seeking to force a Game 7 on their home ice.
Scheifele has been a key part of Winnipeg's success all season and in the playoffs. The 32-year-old has two goals and two assists in the five games against the Stars this postseason and 10 points in 10 playoff games for the Jets.
He was also involved in a scrum with Stars captain Jamie Benn during Thursday's Game 5. The scuffle saw Benn throw a punch at Scheifele, resulting in a roughing penalty, a 10-minute misconduct and $5,000 fine for the Stars veteran.
Scheifele missed Games 6 and 7 of the first round against St. Louis with an injury.
He averaged over a point per game in the regular season, recording 87 points (39 goals and 48 assists) in 82 games.
Jets captain Adam Lowry spoke to reporters after Winnipeg's morning skate, offering his support for his teammate and explaining the loss for the entire Jets organization.
"That's such a big loss," Lowry said. "That's your mentor, that's the person you looked up to growing up. That's the person you want to be like. I think there's just a lot of little things you've got to do to make sure Mark feels supported today, and moving forward."
Cheveldayoff echoed those comments.
"As an organization, we're doing everything we can to support him," he said. "We wish to give his family our most sincere condolences and ask that everybody respect his and their privacy at this time."
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