Heiskanen uncertain for Stars in Game 4 of Western 2nd Round

SEATTLE --Miro Heiskanen is day to day for the Dallas Stars after taking a puck in the face during a 7-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken in Game 3 of the Western Conference Second Round at Climate Pledge Arena on Sunday.

Stars coach Peter DeBoer said Monday the defenseman has a bad cut, but no damage around his eye and is not going through concussion protocol.

Dallas trails the best-of-7 series 2-1. Game 4 is here Tuesday (9:30 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN, TVAS).

"We'll see how he feels tomorrow," DeBoer said. "Twenty-four hours makes a big difference with those type of things."

Heiskanen was injured in the second period when a shot by Kraken forward Tye Kartye hit Stars defenseman Ryan Suter, went high and wide right and off Heiskanen's face. The puck fell in front of the net and forward Jordan Eberle gave Seattle a 1-0 lead at 2:10 while Heiskanen was on all fours. Seattle scored on its first four shots after the injury to take a 4-0 lead in a span of 6:12.

RELATED: [Complete Stars vs. Kraken series coverage]

"He's a big piece for us for sure," Stars forward Mason Marchment said. "He's our horse back there. Hopefully he'll be ready to go, but that's scary. You never want to see that happen to anyone, especially your teammate. Even on top of that, it was a pretty unlucky bounce. We're hoping he's going to be back and ready to go, but obviously hate to see that."

Heiskanen had 73 points (11 goals, 62 assists) in 79 games during the regular season, tying for fifth among NHL defensemen with Brandon Montour of the Florida Panthers and Rasmus Dahlin of the Buffalo Sabres. He averaged 25:29 of ice time per game, sixth among NHL skaters.

The 23-year-old entered Game 3 averaging 29:45 per game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, leading NHL skaters, and had seven assists in Dallas' first eight games. He plays a key role in exiting the defensive zone, especially important against an aggressive forechecking team like Seattle.

"You don't replace a guy like that, right?" DeBoer said. "In our group he's really unique just because he has those skills. We don't have three or four guys like that. I mean, no one in the League does, but he's the one guy on our team that really makes plays under pressure to create offense, starting in our end of the ice. He has that ability. I think that's special and unique.

"If he's not in the lineup, we'll miss that. But that's this time of year. You've got to [have the attitude of] next man up, and someone [must] be ready to go."

Kraken coach Dave Hakstol had no update on forwards Jared McCann and Daniel Sprong, each of whom has an undisclosed injury after taking hits. McCann hasn't played since Game 4 of the first round against the Colorado Avalanche on April 24. Sprong left at 11:21 the second period of Game 3 against the Stars.

McCann skated with the scratches Monday after joining his teammates for the morning skate Sunday. He led the Kraken in goals (40) and points (70) during the regular season.

"He's a huge part of our team," Hakstol said. "We want to get him back as soon as we can. Hopefully that'll be sometime this series, but until we're able to have him back, everybody else has to step up and just continue doing their job and do it at a high level."