Stars’ Joe Pavelski scores 4 in return after 5 missed games

Joe Pavelski is back for Dallas and already making an impact in the Stars second-round playoff series

DALLAS — Joe Pavelski scored four goals for the Dallas Stars in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series against Seattle on Tuesday night after missing the final five games of the opening round while in concussion protocol.

Pavelski’s fourth goal of the night with 6 1/2 minutes left in the third period tied the game at 4. He swatted a puck in the net out of mid-air.

Pavelski scored twice in the first period, his first goal being a 25-foot wrister only 2 1/2 minutes into the game to put the Stars ahead 1-0. He scored on his first shot, on a pass from Mason Marchment. Max Domi got the secondary assist

About 10 minutes later, after Seattle had gotten even, Pavelski scored again from about the same distance with a redirect of Thomas Harley’s shot. The Kraken then scored three goals in a 68-second span to take a 4-2 lead.

Pavelski got the hat trick midway through the third period when he knocked in a rebound after captain Jamie Benn’s shot off Philipp Grubauer .

The three goals extended Pavelski’s record for U.S.-born players to 68 career playoff goals.

Pavelski was on the ice for the game’s opening shift, though he wasn’t immediately inserted back on the top line. He was with Marchment and Domi, like he was when he went through a full practice Monday.

Tyler Seguin, who scored four power-play goals in the six-game series against Minnesota, stayed on the top line with Jason Robertson and NHL playoff scoring leader Roope Hintz. Seguin had moved up to that line after the 38-year-old Pavelski got hurt.

Pavelski had just cleared the puck midway through the second period of Game 1 in the opening series against Minnesota on April 17 when he took a big hit from defenseman Matt Dumba. Pavelski banged his head hard on the ice when he fell.

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AP NHL Playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports