In Game 5 of the Western Conference Final, a critical elimination game for the Dallas Stars, goaltender Jake Oettinger allowed two goals on the first two shots fired by the Edmonton Oilers. This early performance prompted Stars coach Pete DeBoer to remove Oettinger from the game just over seven minutes in, replacing him with backup Casey DeSmith.
DeSmith went on to allow three more goals on 20 shots for the remainder of the contest. The Stars ultimately lost Game 5 with a final score of 6-3, marking the third consecutive season that Dallas` playoff run ended in the Western Conference Final.
Oettinger addressed the controversial mid-game removal during the team`s season-ending media availability held on Saturday.
“It`s awful. It feels humiliating,” Oettinger stated regarding the experience. “Whenever you get pulled, it doesn`t matter if it`s during the playoffs or the regular season, your immediate thought is just to get off the ice, go home, hide in your bed, and avoid talking to anyone.”
Prior to Game 4, Coach DeBoer had indicated that the coaching staff had considered giving Oettinger a rest, noting he had played more minutes than any other NHL goaltender. DeBoer also mentioned a concern that Oettinger might be dealing with “an upper-respiratory issue.”
However, both DeBoer and Oettinger appeared to downplay any suggestions of a disagreement or tension between them following the decision.
“There is no one who is a bigger supporter of Jake Oettinger than I am, both personally and professionally as a goalie,” DeBoer commented, also revealing that he had not had a chance to speak with Oettinger since Game 5 on Thursday.
Oettinger added his perspective, saying, “For me, the entire situation is an experience I must learn from. It`s something that will contribute to my growth as a person and improve me as a goaltender. My fundamental job is to stop the puck. I truly believe I am one of the best in the world at doing that when I am playing well. That`s where my focus will remain. All the surrounding noise is just secondary to me. If I return next season and perform as the best goalie in the world, this specific situation won`t matter. It won`t matter who the coach is. I just need to concentrate on being the best I can be and drawing lessons from this experience.”
Oettinger did face significant challenges throughout the Western Conference Final. Over the five games against the Oilers, he finished with a 3.20 goals-against-average and a .853 save percentage.
Notably, the Stars often found themselves trailing, falling behind in 15 out of their 18 playoff games. This pattern might partially explain DeBoer`s willingness to make an early change in goal. However, it`s also true that neither of Edmonton`s initial two goals in Game 5 were entirely Oettinger`s fault, with the second goal resulting from a clear breakaway opportunity for Mattias Janmark.
Heading into Game 5, Oettinger was coming off a strong outing in the previous game, where he allowed only two goals on 31 shots. Despite his effort, the Stars` offense had scored just one goal or fewer for the third consecutive game, which had already put them in a difficult 3-1 series deficit.
