The Dallas Stars were unable to close out their second-round series in Game 6 and now face a do-or-die Game 7 against the Seatle Kraken on Monday night.
Dallas, at times, has dominated this series.
In Games 2, 4, and 5, the Stars were outright the better team. But when the Kraken appeared on the ropes, they responded with dominating wins in Games 3 and 6.
What made the Dallas Stars so successful and how can they replicate that in Game 7 tonight?
3 Keys to Dallas Stars Success in Game 7 vs Seattle Kraken
Jake Oettinger
This is an easy choice for the most important player in this game. the young Stars goaltender put on one of the best performances in playoff history last season against the Calgary Flames and backed that up with excellent numbers in the first round against the Minnesota Wild in 2023.
But in the second round against Seattle, we have seen a completely different Jake Oettinger.
Oettinger has struggled, specifically in the three losses for Dallas. In six games, the 23-year-old has recorded above .900 save percentage performances just twice. In Game 3, Oettinger finished with the worst save percentage of his NHL career (.706). In Game 6, he was pulled after allowing four goals on 18 shots in just over one period of play, the shortest start of his career.
Which Oettinger will show up in Game 7?
There is little doubt that the "Oetter" usually performs his best when the pressure is high. Well, there is no higher pressure than a Game 7.
The elusive first goal
The Kraken are an excellent team when scoring the first goal. In their first-round upset of the Colorado Avalanche, Seattle scored first in all seven games. In this series, the Kraken have scored the first goal only twice. But in those two games, they went 2-0 and outscored Dallas 13-5.
On the flip side, the Dallas Stars have won three of the four games in which they scored the first goal.
With the home crowd behind them, scoring first and setting the pace of the game will be huge for the Dallas Stars, just as it was for Seattle in Game 6.
Jason Robertson lighting the lamp
The back-to-back 40-goal scorer has been quiet this postseason. Jason Robertson set a franchise record in 2022-23, recording the first 100-point season in Stars history. But that momentum has not carried over to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Looking at the stats (Robertson has 12 points in 12 games), you would think he has been an effective player. And that is true. But what Dallas needs from him are goals. Robertson has only tallied two in two rounds and has not scored since Game 5 vs Minnesota. He is shooting at 5.6% in the postseason.
For Dallas Stars to win this game and move on, they need their leading scorer to break the slump and finally find the back of the net.