Heading into the 2022-23 NHL season, many believed that the
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For the Stars, it started in Game 2 when they scored three goals in the second period in a 4-2 win to tie the series. They tied the series upon scoring four goals in the second period in the 6-3 win that allowed them to draw level for a second time in Game 4.
Game 5 was somewhat different in that the Stars scored two goals in both the first and third periods. It’s what propelled the Stars to a 5-2 win while fending off a late surge from the Kraken.
“We battled hard. We didn’t have great legs. A 3-0 lead in hockey is a really tough lead,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. “They other team has nothing to lose, and they poured it on, their defenseman was up the ice the rest of the night. Put a lot of pressure on us. You have to win all different types of ways in playoff games, and I was proud of our group.”
Let Roope Hintz cook
Joe Pavelski scoring four goals in Game 1 came with its own sense of appreciation; it was his first game back after being concussed in Round 1. But it also provided some cause for concern considering he was the only Stars player who scored in the first game of the series.
It’s possible the Stars might have found a solution. They had four different scorers in Game 2, and are now a win away from the Western Conference finals as they’ve had six players combine to score 11 goals over the past two games.
Roope Hintz is one of those people who has been at the heart of that offensive barrage. He finished Game 5 with a one-goal, three-point performance that did more than see the Stars take a 3-2 series lead. Hintz’s effort is why he entered Friday tied with Edmonton Oilers superstar center and 2020 Hart Trophy winner Leon Draisaitl for the postseason lead in points with 18.
“He’s dynamic. He’s a workhorse and does everything for us, kills penalties, on the power play, first-line minutes — he does everything,” Stars forward Jason Robertson said. “He’s well respected in our lineup, we know what he brings, we know what he’s going to continue to do. He’s very skilled, very fast and he’s definitely one of our best scorers on the team.”
Notes from ESPN Stats & Information
Kraken
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The Kraken will not want to fall behind early, as they have just one comeback win this postseason, are 0-3 when trailing after one period and are 0-4 when trailing after two.
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Scoring depth has carried over into the postseason for the Kraken. They have 18 players with at least one goal, the most of any team. The most a team has had in a single season in NHL history is 21, by the 1986-87 Flyers and 2018-19 Bruins.
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Of those 18 players, six are defensemen. That is the most by any team in the 2023 playoffs, and just one shy of tying multiple teams for the most in a single postseason in NHL history.
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Jared McCann recorded his first goal of the playoffs in Game 5 for the Kraken. He was a vital player in the Kraken’s run to the playoffs. During the regular season, the Kraken were 24-7-3 in games in which McCann scored a goal.
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Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer has given up 36 goals in 12 starts this postseason. His 36 goals against are the most among all goalies, and six more than the next players on the list (Stuart Skinner and Jake Oettinger, both with 30).
Stars
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The Stars scored five or more goals in consecutive playoff games for just the third time in Dallas team history; they also did so in 2020 (three straight games from Game 6 of Round 1 through Game 2 of Round 2) and 2019 (Games 4 and 5 of Round 1).
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On the other end of the ice, the Stars are allowing an average of 3.00 goals against per game, the second-best average among remaining playoff teams, behind the Hurricanes at 2.60.
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Defenseman Miro Heiskanen has recorded eight assists in 11 playoff games this season. He is now tied with Ray Bourque for the fifth-most playoff assists (32) by a defenseman before turning 24 in NHL history. The most is 50, by Paul Coffey.
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Joe Pavelski has been on a tear with seven goals this postseason, tied for third among all players. Pavelski sits just one goal shy of tying Martin St. Louis (eight in 2014) and Johnny Bucyk (eight in 1974) for the most by a player age 38 or older in a single postseason in NHL history.
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Pavelski is also now the oldest player in NHL history to score seven goals in a series. Maurice Richard previously held the distinction (seven in 1958) at 36 years old. The most goals by any American-born player in a single playoff series is eight, by three players: Jake Guentzel (2022 Round 1), R.J. Umberger (2008 conference semifinals) and Pat LaFontaine (1992 division semifinals).
