Bowness called it an "internal issue" and said the team would deal with it on a day-to-day basis. In the short term, it means Oettinger will get his third start of the season and second in the past three games. The 22-year-old is 2-0-0 on the season with a 2.42 goals against average and .898 save percentage.
In addition, Bow will get his first game of the season as a backup.
Bowness said the team would deal with the issue internally, but up front.
"We do it very openly. We communicate very openly here," Bowness said. "We're a family. We'll deal with things internally, but you deal with things by communicating and making your feelings known, what is and what isn't acceptable."
Of course, it also means the 5-2-1 Stars will have a different lineup for the ninth consecutive game. Dallas has dealt with several injuries and COVID-related illnesses and is currently missing Andrej Sekera, who is in COVID protocol. Kiviranta started the season on the second line with Joe Pavelski, but was hurt in Game 1, and has not played since.
He said he felt good after skating Saturday.
"It felt good. I skated a couple of times on the road and I think I'm feeling more like I'm ready to play," Kiviranta said. "It's a game-time decision tomorrow, and we will see."
Bowness said that Kiviranta has been a versatile player who helps in a lot of ways.
"He can play all over the lineup, right wing, left wing," Bowness said. "He's a worker, and you're going to get the same effort from him every shift, every game. He was playing very well with Pavelski and Rads when we had him up there. We can use him in every situation, and if you need get someobody going, he's going to give that line energy."
RELATED: [Stars recall Dellandrea, Kero from taxi squad]
The Stars played Jason Robertson Thursday against Columbus, but then assigned the rookie back to the taxi squad on Friday. They assigned Nick Caamano and Joel L'Esperance to the taxi squad on Saturday and called up Dellandrea and Tanner Kero. Dellandrea could go from being a healthy scratch for two games to playing beside Joe Pavelski.
It's just one more day in a lineup that has been ever shifting during this season of COVID, injuries, and whatnot.
"It's next man up," Bowness said.
And each man knows that. The Stars' taxi squad has been very active this season, and that means each player understands that his opportunity might come at any given moment.
"Any kind of adversity is going to grow you as a player," said forward Jason Dickinson. "We've been through a lot as a group; we played through the bubble and we had guys step up and keep playing. We've got a good group of guys."
