The second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs has certainly delivered plenty of intense moments, and Tuesday`s action was no different.
In the only playoff game held that night, the Dallas Stars secured a crucial 3-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 4, establishing a commanding 3-1 lead in their best-of-seven series. Forward Mikael Granlund was the offensive hero, scoring the first playoff hat trick of his career, while goaltender Jake Oettinger was exceptional in net, proving to be a formidable barrier.
Following another evening of playoff hockey, let`s spotlight some of the top individual performances from Tuesday`s contest.
The Jets displayed significant offensive pressure throughout Game 4 but ultimately struggled to translate it into goals on the scoreboard. A notable positive for Winnipeg was the performance of star winger Nikolaj Ehlers, who netted his team`s only goal early in the second period.
Ehlers scored just over a minute into the second period as a power play opportunity was concluding. Positioned to the side of the Dallas net, he received the puck and fired a shot from a tight angle that managed to squeeze past Oettinger. From an offensive perspective, Ehlers was arguably the most impactful player for the Jets in this game and throughout the series, having scored three goals and consistently showing a nose for the net.
2. Jake Oettinger | G | Stars
Jake Oettinger had a challenging regular season against the Jets, posting a 3.25 goals-against-average over four games. However, he has completely reversed that trend in this second-round series. In the Game 4 victory, Oettinger was sensational, stopping 31 of the 32 shots he faced.
Oettinger bailed out the Stars repeatedly with spectacular saves throughout the game. A critical moment occurred about six minutes into the second period when the Stars turned the puck over while on the power play. Jets star Kyle Connor picked up the loose puck and was off on a breakaway, attempting to beat Oettinger with a backhand move. Oettinger reacted perfectly, sliding across to shut down the prime scoring chance.
Oettinger has now won three of his four starts in the series, boasting a 2.00 goals-against-average and a .929 save percentage. He`s also been particularly strong at home, with a 13-2 record in his last 15 home starts. While Connor Hellebuyck delivered a shutout earlier in the series, Oettinger has arguably been the more consistent goaltender for his team thus far.
1. Mikael Granlund | C | Stars
For significant portions of Game 4, the Winnipeg Jets appeared to be the more dominant offensive team and even seemed to seize the momentum. However, Mikael Granlund single-handedly shifted the tide and propelled his team to victory with a magnificent hat trick performance.
Granlund`s impactful night began when he drew a holding penalty on Jets defenseman Dylan DeMelo, setting up a power play. During the man advantage, Granlund carried the puck from his own zone, deked past Jets forward Parker Ford, and unleashed a shot that found its way under Hellebuyck`s glove for the opening goal. In the second period, he struck again. On a two-on-one rush with teammate Roope Hintz, Granlund elected to keep the puck himself, firing a scorching shot over Hellebuyck`s glove. He completed the hat trick later in the game with a one-timer, set up by defenseman Miro Heiskanen, who was playing in his first game back after a knee injury sustained in January.
This marked only the second multi-goal playoff game of Granlund`s career; the first was a two-goal performance against the Blackhawks in the second round of the 2014 postseason. Granlund was highly involved throughout Game 4, recording five hits and winning three face-offs in addition to his three goals. Since being acquired by the Stars before the trade deadline this season, he has seemingly found a perfect fit on the team`s top line and appears to be a valuable asset as Dallas pursues their second Stanley Cup championship.
