Drama continued to be a key feature of the Stanley Cup Playoffs second round on Tuesday.
In the only playoff game of the night, the Dallas Stars secured a crucial 3-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 4, establishing a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Forward Mikael Granlund was the offensive hero, scoring his first career playoff hat trick, while goaltender Jake Oettinger stood tall in net, acting as a formidable barrier against the Jets` attack.
As another night of intense playoff action concludes, let`s highlight some standout performances from Tuesday`s contest.
3. Nikolaj Ehlers | LW | Jets
Despite the Jets` aggressive offensive effort in Game 4 yielding limited results on the scoreboard, Nikolaj Ehlers was a notable positive. He netted Winnipeg`s only goal early in the second period.
His goal came just as a power play expired. Ehlers gained possession near the Dallas net and, from a sharp angle, managed to sneak the shot past goaltender Jake Oettinger. Offensively, Ehlers was arguably the Jets` most effective player, consistently demonstrating a knack for scoring throughout the series with three goals.
2. Jake Oettinger | G | Stars
Jake Oettinger has turned his regular-season struggles against the Jets (where he had a 3.25 goals-against-average over four games) completely around in this second-round series. In Game 4, he was outstanding, stopping 31 of 32 shots faced in the victory.
Oettinger made several spectacular saves that bailed out the Stars throughout the game. A crucial moment came nearly six minutes into the second period when he stopped a breakaway by Kyle Connor, who had capitalized on a Stars power-play turnover in the neutral zone. Oettinger calmly slid across to deny the potential scoring chance.
So far in the series, Oettinger boasts a 3-1 record with a 2.00 goals-against-average and a .929 save percentage, proving more consistent than Winnipeg`s Connor Hellebuyck. He also continues his strong play at home, holding a 13-2 record in his last 15 home starts.
1. Mikael Granlund | C | Stars
Although the Jets held the offensive edge and seemed to gain momentum for significant portions of Game 4, Mikael Granlund`s individual brilliance propelled the Stars to victory with a memorable hat trick performance on Tuesday.
Granlund initiated his stellar night by drawing a holding penalty on defenseman Dylan DeMelo, leading to a power play opportunity. On the ensuing power play, he skated the puck from the defensive zone, deked around forward Parker Ford, and fired a shot that beat Hellebuyck under the glove. His second goal came in the second period on a two-on-one break with teammate Roope Hintz; Granlund elected to shoot himself, unleashing a powerful shot over Hellebuyck`s glove. The hat trick was completed on a one-timer, assisted by defenseman Miro Heiskanen, who was playing his first game since January due to injury.
This marked only Granlund`s second multi-goal playoff game, the first being against the Blackhawks in Game 3 of the second round in the 2014 postseason. Beyond his goals, he was highly involved in Game 4, recording five hits and winning three face-offs. Since joining the team before the trade deadline this season, Granlund has seamlessly fit into Dallas` top line and is proving to be a significant asset in their pursuit of their second Stanley Cup in franchise history.
