Joe Pavelski has been putting the Dallas Stars on his back in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs — and he made even more history in the process on Thursday night.
After scoring four goals in Game 1's loss to the Seattle Kraken earlier this week, Pavelski scored his fifth goal of the series as the Stars evened the series up at one in Game 2, and joined Steve Payne as the second player in Stars/North Stars history to record five goals over a two-game span in the postseason, according to NHL.com.
13-years-ago Sidney Crosby scored the Golden Goal. The best player for the 🇺🇸? Joe Pavelski.
This guy lives for these moments. pic.twitter.com/2OyA6QlKnf
— The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) May 5, 2023
Only two players in franchise history have scored more in an entire series for the team: Tony McKegney, who recorded seven in the 1985 divisional final, and Denis Gurianov, who tallied six in the first round of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Stars went on to lose to the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games in the Cup Final in 2020.
Pavelski also became the second player age 35 or older to score five goals over a span of two games in the same playoff year. He's in elite company with the second feat, joining only Montreal Canadiens legend Maurice Richard, who scored five between Game 5 of the 1957 Semifinals and Game 1 of the 1957 Stanley Cup Final, per NHL.
Joe Pavelski has truly been electric for Dallas so far after this postseason after another excellent campaign in 2022-23. After playing most of his career with the San Jose Sharks and losing in the Stanley Cup Final to Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016, it's clear that the Wisconsin native will do everything he can to win that elusive Stanley Cup.
The Stars will now travel to Seattle for Games 3 and 4 at Climate Pledge Arena, as they try to win back home-ice advantage against the NHL's newest franchise.
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