The Dallas Stars are off to a great start in their playoff series against the Minnesota Wild, taking a 3-2 edge in their first-round playoff (The Athletic, url). On Tuesday night, the Stars dominated the Wild, shutting them out 4-0, thanks to a stellar performance by rookie goalie Jake Oettinger, who made 27 saves and recorded his second postseason shutout in his 12th career start (The Rink Live, url).
One of the key players for the Stars in Game 5 was forward Roope Hintz, who set a franchise record by notching at least three points in each of the Stars’ first two wins against the Wild (Dallas Morning News, url). Hintz has been performing at a high level over the past week and has been instrumental in helping the Stars take control of the series.
The Stars have a legitimate chance at winning the Stanley Cup this year. Going into the playoffs, they were tied for second in both the Central Division and the Western Conference (Blackout Dallas, url). With their strong play in the postseason, the Stars have shown that they are a force to be reckoned with and could make a deep run in the playoffs.
The team is also getting a boost from forward Joe Pavelski, who is close to returning to the lineup after missing time due to injury. Head coach Pete DeBoer has praised Pavelski’s progress and is looking forward to having him back on the ice (Yardbarker.com, url).
In other news, the Stars have returned forward Riley Tufte to their AHL affiliate, the Texas Stars. Tufte has been with the Dallas Stars for parts of the season but will now continue his development in the AHL (Naija News, url).
Overall, the Dallas Stars are a team to watch in the NHL playoffs this year. With their strong play and key players stepping up, they have a chance to bring a Stanley Cup back to Dallas.
