Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger didn't make it to the third period of the team's Game 6 loss against the Seattle Kraken. Less than halfway into Dallas' 6-3 defeat Saturday, Stars coach Pete DeBoer pulled Oettinger and replaced him with backup goalie Scott Wedgewood.
When the Kraken took a 4-1 lead over the Stars in the second period of Game 6, DeBoer decided that Jake Oettinger's night was finished. The Stars coach considered Dallas' deficit and a potential Game 7 when sending his starting goalie to the bench. Oettinger saved 14 of Seattle's 18 shot attempts in just under 25 minutes.
“We didn't give him any help and this is a grind,” DeBoer said after Game 6. “At that point we're looking for a spark for the team, looking down the road to make sure Jake's got energy, the fresher goalie for Game 7, all those things come into play.”
The Stars-Kraken series shifts back to Dallas for Game 7 Monday night, giving Oettinger 48 hours to rest up for the deciding contest. The winner will advance to the Western Conference Finals of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Oettinger also struggled mightily in the Stars' Game 3 loss. The 24-year-old surrendered five goals on 17 shot attempts before being pulled for the start of the third period. The Kraken beat the Stars 7-2 to take a 2-1 series lead. Dallas outscored Seattle 11-5 over the next two games.
In three home games against Seattle, Oettinger has a .911 save percentage. On the road in the series, his save percentage plummets to .778.
During the regular season, Oettinger was tied for sixth in the NHL with a .919 save percentage.
Follow Us
Subscribe