Joe Pavelski’s epic return gives Stars boost, but Kraken swipe Game 1 in overtime
Pavelski #Pavelski
Stars head coach Pete DeBoer spoke of an old, yet pertinent, adage before his team’s series opener against the Seattle Kraken.
“It’s rust versus rest, right?” DeBoer said, speaking to the difference in time between the Stars Game 6 win over Minnesota, and the Kraken’s Game 7 win in Colorado.
On Tuesday, Dallas saw both sides of it: the team showed signs of rust, but Joe Pavelski sure showed what rest can do.
Pavelski, playing in his first game since April 17, scored four goals against the Kraken, including a game-tying goal in the third period that sent the game into overtime. Pavelski’s heroics went for naught, however, as Seattle went on to win Game 1 by a 5-4 score behind a game-winning overtime goal from Yanni Gourde.
“Epic, epic,” DeBoer said after the loss. “Shame we wasted it.”
The 38-year-old Pavelski became the oldest player in NHL history with four goals in a playoff game. He also tied the Stars playoff record for goals in a game, joining Denis Gurianov, who had four goals and an assist in a Game 6 victory against Calgary on Aug. 20, 2020. It was also Pavelski’s first career four-goal game.
Before Tuesday’s series opener, DeBoer listed Pavelski officially as a game-time decision. And what a decision it turned out to be, because he was more than needed.
“He more than did his part,” DeBoer said. “He tried to drag us to a win here tonight.”
Seattle, playing on a quick turnaround from its Game 7 win over Colorado on Sunday, lived up to its reputation as a fast and deep squad. All four goals in regulation were scored by different players: Jaden Schwartz, Justin Schultz, Oliver Bjorkstrand and Jordan Eberle. Pavelski scored his second goal with under eight minutes in the first. Seattle then scored three goals over the next five minutes, including an 11-second period where the Kraken scored the game-tying goal and the go-ahead goal.
“Sometimes you come home and you have the quick turnaround and there’s a disadvantage in terms of the amount of energy,” Kraken head coach Dave Hakstol said. “You don’t have the rest, you don’t have the luxury of a little bit of practice time, but you’re in a rhythm. We knew we would probably have a little bit of a trade-off there.”
Pavelski faced the opposite side of that trade-off. He said it wasn’t easy traveling with the team for Game 6 of the Minnesota series, only to be held out. He said the experience did help him stay engaged mentally.
On Tuesday he wouldn’t be held out after the pre-game skate. He was ready.
“Warmups, felt a shot of adrenaline right there,” Pavelski said. “I was excited.”
Pavelski was a boost to the Stars for obvious reasons. Even before Tuesday’s heroic performance, though, Stars players and coaches talked about the 38-year-old’s importance.
“He affects every part of our game,” DeBoer said of Pavelski. “And not just on the ice. Leadership, between period messaging, on the bench messaging, power play or five on five, he makes every area of our team better.”
Hakstol acknowledged before the game the effect of Pavelski’s return, as well.
“He’s a big part of their team,” Hakstol said. “And he’s a guy we’re going to have to be very aware of in terms of working to defend him through the series.”
Aware or not, Seattle and goalie Philipp Grubauer couldn’t keep Pavelski from finding the back of the net four times.
“What a performance,” Hakstol said.
“He showed what kind of competitor he was here tonight.”
Stars fans didn’t know for sure if Pavelski would be on the ice until pregame skate. The first camera shot of him featured on the video board drew a huge roar from the fans early to the American Airlines Center. He skated toward the glass, where one fan had a sign that said “We missed you, Joe.”
They sure did.
In other injury news: The Stars received good injury news before the game, while Seattle didn’t.
Hakstol revealed before Tuesday’s opener that Jared McCann, Seattle’s leading goal scorer, did not travel to Dallas. McCann hasn’t played since he was injured on April 24. When asked directly if we would see McCann against Dallas, Hakstol responded, “I don’t know yet.”
Late starts continue: Stars fans might have to put later bedtimes into practice for this series. The NHL revealed on Tuesday the full details for the next three games between the Kraken and the Stars, and there is a common theme. Like the series opener, Games 2, 3 and 4 will also start at 8:30 p.m. CDT.
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Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz (24) has his feet taken out from under him by Seattle Kraken defenseman Jamie Oleksiak (24) during the second period of Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series in Dallas, May 2, 2023.
© Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News/TNS