How have the Stars fared in playoff Game 7s since moving to Dallas in 1993? It's a mixed bag. In eight Game 7s, they're 3-5. The games range from good-guy blowouts to bad-guy blowouts, nailbiting wins and losses, elating OT victories that sent them onward, and gutting OT defeats that ended their season.
In contrast, first-year Stars head coach Pete DeBoer is 6-0 in Game 7s during his long NHL coaching career. Thirty-eight-year-old Joe Pavelski, who has eight goals this postseason, is 6-3 in Game 7s with three goals and four assists.
Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger has played one Game 7, the aforementioned OT loss in Calgary, but made a heroic 64 saves. With his victory in Round 1, Philipp Grubauer is now 1-1 in Game 7s with a .934 save percentage ("Grubi's been good," said Hakstol Sunday on the travel day. "He's a big reason why we are here at 3-3").
For the Kraken, forward Jaden Schwartz padded his Game 7 portfolio in the 2023 first round and is now 5-0 with four assists in those matchups. Defenseman Justin Schultz elevated to 4-0 with a goal and two assists. Jordan Eberle evened his Game 7 slate to 2-2 and told reporters Saturday night that Game 7s "are what makes playoff hockey fun." Well, maybe a bit nerve-wracking for fans too.
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##### Two: Pushbacks and Puck Luck
Dallas has not won a game in this spring's playoffs when the opponent scores first. But the Stars came out with a forceful pushback to start the third period of Game 6, hitting two posts to keep the score at 4-2. The most dangerous sequence? Joe Pavelski had a quality chance that Philipp Grubauer stopped, scoring star Miro Heiskanen couldn't convert the rebound, and then Jason Robertson (watch out for him Monday) rung one of those two posts.
Dave Hakstol and his squad won't forget Dallas tying Game 6 at 1-1 in the first period by scoring just 31 seconds after Yanni Gourde opened the scoring. In the third period after Matty Beniers extended the lead to 5-2, Dallas responded in an even quicker 15 seconds.
Hakstol said his team has evolved and learned over the 13 postseason games to date, particularly improving at what alternate captain Eberle called "weathering the storm" when the foe brings the offensive heat.
"I love the way our team handled today," said Hakstol on Saturday. "The first shift of the third period, there was a little bit too much chaos there. But that's where we've grown with guys on the bench just talking to one another, settling things down, making sure we get to the next shift and do it the right way... it speaks to the belief the guys have in themselves and the guy sitting next to him."
##### Three: Looking for Heroes
With the incredible depth scoring posted by Kraken skaters to date, it might seem unwise to project potential Game 7 heroes here in Dallas. But somebody's gotta do it. The guesses here start with anyone on the Gourde line, though why not double down on Oliver Bjorkstrand, who scored two big goals against Colorado in the do-or-die game and rung a post to miss out on a possible hat trick. Bjorkstrand is simply excelling in all zones and puck battles. His elite shot release is a weapon.
Another choice: Ryan Donato, not among the 18 Kraken players to score a goal this postseason, is consistently generating chances for teammates and himself plus maintaining his usual net-front presence. Two gut choices: Jaden Schwartz (he will likely figure in the scoring even if he doesn't notch a goal or assist) and Jamie Oleksiak (stellar in the Kraken zone, racking up the hits and always prepared to jump into scoring chances).
